These 2 practices can help us create a stronger civil society

In the wake of hurricanes striking across the Southeast this fall, nonprofit organizations played a vital role in delivering much needed aid to hard hit communities. Last month, nonprofits across the country took part in educating voter. They registered young people to vote, and encouraged broad participation in the democratic process. It’s especially clear today that participation in civil society—whether through giving or volunteering— is vital to the functioning of our national community and society.

Most people understand the importance of nonprofit organizations. But research shows that fewer Americans are giving back. Donations to nonprofit organizations continue to grow year-over-year in terms of total dollars. But they’re coming from a smaller pool of individuals, skewed towards those with a high net worth. That was the phenomenon recently explored in a landmark report published by the Generosity Commission—a blue ribbon panel of social impact leaders led by Jane Wales of the Aspen Institute and myself. This decline can be linked to a host of societal harms, from the first-order impacts on charitable organizations themselves, to more insidious civic problems including increased social isolation and decreased voter participation.

The most noticeable effects of declining participation in civil society manifests elsewhere. But business also suffers in a future where volunteering and giving are less commonplace. The American tradition of participation with nonprofit organizations fosters a culture of connection and community that benefits businesses. The private sector also has a clear stake in perpetuating and strengthening that tradition.

Fortunately, there are clear ways business leaders can (and should) contribute to a society-wide effort to reverse this decline in philanthropic participation. As natural conveners of everyday givers and volunteers through their broad employee bases, businesses have a distinct role to play in building a future where civic participation continues to be a fundamental part of who we are. And it’s a win-win.

Creating Culture

There’s a reason CEOs constantly talk about culture. It’s the connective tissue that binds leadership and employees, drives performance, and creates an inclusive workplace. Generosity, shared purpose, and bonds to the communities that businesses operate in are strong, positive forces for culture.

Employees are happier and more driven when they work for businesses that partner with social impact organizations. A recent SHRM survey of workers found that among those who volunteered with a nonprofit through a work-sponsored program, 79% reported satisfaction with their jobs. That compares with just 55% of workers who didn’t volunteer through work. That makes volunteer participation a powerful tool for employee retention. In turn, this saves businesses a considerable amount in recruitment and training.

Those employees who volunteer are not only happier and more likely to stay in their jobs than those who don’t. They’re also better at their jobs. A study from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia found that workers who volunteered with social impact organizations performed meaningfully better on work tasks than those who didn’t. They also exhibited greater work absorption. The same study also found that volunteers displayed qualities of greater corporate citizenship, such as suggesting workplace improvements and attending non-mandatory work events. Creating a society where more people volunteered would lead to a workforce of more valuable employees.

Engaging Employees

These positive effects from volunteering may be even more important today, when many businesses operate on either a hybrid basis or fully remotely. While many employees value the opportunity to work remotely, there remains a strong desire for in-person culture that volunteer and civic opportunities can address. The Blackbaud Institute’s research has shown that corporate volunteers have flocked back to in-person volunteer opportunities after a pandemic-era trend of remote volunteering, with 87% of all corporate volunteer hours now occurring in-person, compared to 66% in 2021.

Businesses can take a number of steps to create a culture of volunteering within their own workforces, and contribute to broader participation in civil society. The most direct way may be to offer workplace volunteer opportunities—Whether that’s in-person or remote. They can also host micro-volunteering events. This can look like low time commitment opportunities that last 15 minutes to an hour—to encourage those employees who aren’t used to volunteering to get started. Offering opportunities where employees are invited to bring their friends and family may also create a welcoming environment for first-time volunteers.

Businesses can also incentivize volunteering among their workforce by offering paid time off to volunteer. They can do this through scheduling company-wide service days or offering additional vacation time dedicated to volunteering. They can also provide grants that endow a number of employee volunteer hours for specific organizations. This contributes to a greater sense of shared purpose.

Our Central Challenge and Opportunity

Most of us derive satisfaction from feeling that we’re a part of something greater than ourselves. In essence, that’s what culture is—sharing a common purpose with those around us. Businesses have as much of an interest in instilling that sense of common purpose as any sector. That’s why fostering a revival in civic participation is a central challenge, and opportunity, for today’s generation of business leaders.