Four in 10 Job Seekers Want to Work for Companies That Give Back to the Community

Five tips for incorporating charitable activities into your workplace

Nice guys may finish last, but a new OfficeTeam survey suggests that nice companies often finish first when it comes to recruiting. More than four in 10 (42%) professionals said an organization’s participation in charitable activities is at least somewhat of a factor in their decision to work there.

The survey of office workers was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 400 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

Workers were asked, “To what extent does a company’s participation in charitable activities influence your decision to work there?” Their responses:

A great deal: 17%

Somewhat: 25%

Not at all: 56%

Don’t know/no answer: 2%

View an infographic of the research results on companies that give back.

“Although not everyone cares about working for companies that give back to the community, the segment of the workforce that values corporate altruism can’t be ignored,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Philanthropy programs can be a selling point when recruiting candidates and also help improve employee retention. Organizations can increase team morale and participation in charitable activities by aligning with causes that resonate with staff.”

OfficeTeam identifies five ways to incorporate philanthropic activities into your company’s workplace:

1. Give back. Organize a clothing, toy, or food drive that benefits a nonprofit organization.

2. Get involved. Provide the opportunity for employees to volunteer as a group at a soup kitchen or beach cleanup. This doubles as a great team building activity.

3. Show your support. Sponsor, host, or participate in a charity event such as an auction or 5K run.

4. Chip in. Donate to causes that matter most to employees, such as disaster-relief efforts or local schools.

5. Match it. Consider offering a matching-gifts program that supplements workers’ charitable contributions or activities.