Recruitment | How to leverage social impact as an HR superpower

By Andrew J. Troup, Director, Giving & Engagement at Blackbaud

To recruit and retain top talent, invest in a purpose-driven culture

A McKinsey study found that the meaningfulness of one’s work is the third top factor driving retention of employees, after compensation and flexibility. The lack of it is the fourth top factor driving attrition — after career progression, compensation, and poor leadership.¹ These results tell us that, while the usual culprits are still fundamental elements to any recruitment and retention strategy, another factor needs to be considered: a workplace culture that provides meaning and purpose.

But how can organisations deliver on such an abstract concept as ‘meaning’? The answer lies in something many of us are already doing: putting our values into practice and embracing our role as a force for good in the community. This can be done through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programmes, or it can sit within the remit of HR and employee engagement. Several studies show that these practices have a significant effect on employee attraction and retention:

• 2/3 of millennials (who will make up 75% of the workforce in 2025) will not work for companies without strong CSR/ESG values.²

• 75% of Gen Zeers say an organization’s community engagement and societal impact is an important factor when considering a potential employer.³

• 72% of UK employees want to work for companies with values aligned with their own.⁴

• 95% of employees who work at purpose-led companies would be likely to recommend their employer.⁵

Here are three ways to leverage your corporate social impact initiatives to demonstrate to current and future employees what your organisation cares about:

1. Encourage employee volunteering.

Incentivise and make it easy for employees to volunteer. Organise team volunteering opportunities, reward individual volunteering with additional time off or charitable donations, or let employees volunteer during work hours. You can partner with charities chosen by your employees or that are aligned with business values. Many charities welcome skilled help to advance their good work.

2. Support your employees’ favourite causes.

Another way to create a highly engaged culture is to make monetary or in-kind donations to employees’ favourite causes, either as corporate gifts or by matching funds raised by the employees themselves. Providing employees with a ‘voice and choice’ model and letting them know that you support their passions and causes outside of the workplace goes a long way.

3. Invest in causes aligned with business values.

Consider how you can translate your business values into community programmes that create a positive impact for society. For example, a bank might decide that investing in financial education for the community makes good business sense, whereas a tech company might prefer to teach children how to stay safe online. Aligning your social impact initiatives with your business values and purpose ensures authenticity and demonstrates to employees that your values are more than just words.

To truly engage employees and avoid high attrition levels, it’s important to be aware that employees expect more than just career progression and competitive pay. Corporate social impact programmes offer a great opportunity for organisations of all sizes to demonstrate their values, create a sense of purpose for employees, and inspire higher levels of engagement and retention.

ABOUT US

Blackbaud’s Corporate Impact team works with organisations of all sizes to power up corporate social impact through our market-leading CSR solutions and curated volunteerism offers.

Find out more about Blackbaud

Sources:
1. McKinsey Quarterly. (2022). The Great Attrition is making hiring harder.
2. Porter Novellis. (2020). PN Purpose Tracker.
3. Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
4. PLAY. (2022). Corporate Climate Crisis.
5. Forbes. (2020). The Power of Purpose.