It’s hard to believe that the holidays are here again. It seems with every passing year, the season creeps up on me faster than the year before. and faster. Heck, I’m expecting my children to walk through the door at any moment from college for their Thanksgiving holiday.
This is the time of the year where businesses often focus on “giving back” and it’s a popular time for food and gift drives, community service and other activities to make a corporate impact. These are all terrific activities, and I absolutely believe that businesses do have social responsibility. However, I was reflecting the other day on how these activities shouldn’t always necessarily be around the holidays.
I think that as organizational leaders the holidays offer a perfect opportunity to examine our corporate social responsibility policies and make sure that we’re pushing our organizations to be in a perpetual state of giving. Do you have policies in place that allow employees to regularly participate in community service? Does your business donate to nonprofits and charities? Do you encourage employees to participate in social and civic groups and pay for membership fees and other dues?
Why is this important? Besides being good corporate citizens, countless studies have shown that millennials who continue to take up a greater share of the workforce, seek out employers who have robust corporate social responsibility programs. They value these opportunities and often weigh these factors when making employment decisions.
I’d be remiss also to mention that we must as HR leaders ensure we’re also taking the time to adequately give thanks to those who matter most to our business – our employees.
Either way, whether you do it for the community recognition or recruitment value, in today’s world of seemingly increased cynicism and hate, being thankful and giving back is just good practice, both for the community and our employees.
I for one am so thankful for my team members, partners, clients and colleagues. You all make every moment of my business life richer and push me to be a better steward of the HR profession. Thank you.
From all of us here at HR Advisors Group, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, we hope it’s full of merriment and thankfulness and that the holiday season shines bright upon you and your organizations.
