Dimensions is offering a unique business volunteer service opportunity that benefits food insecurity issues and employee well-being. We are happy to discuss the initiative with any companies interested and assist as little or as much as needed with planning, implementation, and tracking.
Make It Count connects increasing physical activity based on current activity levels (all levels – couch potato or marathon runner) with altruistic acts, in this initiative, to feed the hungry. Everyone benefits physically, emotionally, psychologically, and socially. It’s a win-win for all – the company, participants, and selected nonprofit agency.
According to a recent HBR article, meaningful employee volunteer opportunities are often overlooked, with most volunteer opportunities being an add-on option for employees to complete in their spare time plus having to fundraise on their own. Instead, integrating volunteer programs with corporate giving is good for employees and business. Research indicates that such programs improve employee satisfaction, foster employee engagement, attract new hires, and boost retention.
The article also mentioned a 2020 Deloitte Global Survey finding that employees want to work for a company that provides meaning and purpose as well as one that is making an impact on society. Events in 2020 have certainly increased the number of businesses pledging to be good corporate citizens, but this demand began years before. Recall that the Business Roundtable (2019) updated their statement on the purpose of a corporation to include all stakeholder interests rather than shareholder interests alone. These stakeholders include customers, employees, suppliers, and communities, as well as and equal to, shareholders.
The suggested ideas in the HBR article for meaningful options require both the business and employee volunteers to partner with a nonprofit agency to solve organizational or operational challenges and/or deliver specialized resources to the population served by the nonprofit. Make It Count not only can meet and be the start of such a meaningful and purpose driven approach, but also enhances your wellness program.
At this time of year, many company wellness programs rely on traditional fitness and weight loss initiatives for the new year. The problems are that it is only the fit who usually participate in fitness challenges, and research consistently find that weight loss programs fall flat. Any weight loss is unsustainable and results often backfire causing health consequences such as depression, yo-yo dieting, and a risk of additional weight gain. For these reasons, many wellness programs have banned both or at the least are offering suitable alternatives. Make It Count is a suitable alternative that encourages even those who dislike exercise to increase activity.
Contact us to discuss Make It Count. You can plan the initiative on your own or we can assist in designing, promoting, and tracking.