Resolving to Give - How to Make Giving Back a Priority This Year
Dec 27, 2017Looking back on this past year, there are certainly a few things I haven’t done that I wanted to accomplish — projects that got put on the backburner, to-do lists that were less than complete.
But in spite of a few mishaps, last year’s events will help me shape the present, and one of my main areas of focus is continuing to analyze what makes work environments great and how good companies grow and become world-class workplaces.
Since many CEOs and entrepreneurs are currently planning and organizing their team for 2018, it’s a great time to talk about a point that often takes a backseat when the going gets busy — giving back. 
Whether your company is involved in charity and community service events already, there are always ways to build connection and extend your reach.
Find out what your team is passionate about and what matters most to them.
The people who make up your team have big, important, meaningful lives outside of the office. They have families, pets, and hobbies. They have ambitions and challenges.
Getting to know the people who make up your workplace is the first step in deciding what types of charitable events to support throughout the year, and what causes to put money, time, and energy toward.
Make giving an integral part of the culture by scheduling regular, repeated events and drives. It takes time to organize food drives, outings, and fundraisers.
So take this opportunity for planning and block out the time on your calendar now. Trust me, you’ll be too busy to do it when the time comes to make it happen, and you will have to deal with the “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” when next December rolls around.
Delegate someone in charge to lead the efforts.
Once it’s on your yearly calendar, put someone in charge of making sure the events are planned in advance and promoted.
If you don’t have time to email everyone, reminding them about the community service event happening over the weekend, you need to make sure you delegate the task.
It’s important enough to be a small part of someone’s job description, because you’ve made contribution and giving back a priority in your culture.
With a leader in charge, you’re also more likely to get the whole team involved.
Get the word out.
It’s not boasting to talk about the causes you support. If you’ve done something to reach out to your community, why not tell people about it?
More opportunities for giving back will come your way once you’ve set your business up as a voice in your area. So blog about it, take photos, and interact with your community through social media and news.
Your team will love working at a company that makes giving a priority. 
A company that can listen to and understand the values and concerns of their team and turn that into something good for the community is a company that great people want to work for. Attracting great talent becomes an amazing byproduct of your giving efforts!
So let the word get out that giving back is a priority for your company in 2018. The universe has its way of responding and soon your company will be known to be on the road to world-class in the year ahead.
