Social Impact: A Talent Attraction & Retention Strategy

As the workforce continues to evolve and change, leaders will need to consider their organization’s commitment to social impact, volunteerism, and philanthropy. While there are many reasons for a company to give back and make a difference, these efforts have become an essential strategy for attracting and retaining talent. This reality is particularly true for Gen Z employees entering the workplace. 

While the pandemic changed how we live and work, one of the more significant shifts is that people, more than ever, are clear on the importance of doing meaningful work that aligns with their purpose and positively impacts the community. The buzz phrase, The Great Resignation, should be referred to as The Great Re-Evaluation because workers are reevaluating their workplace conditions, how their company operates, and how the company is engaged in making the world a better place.

The Hustle surveyed over 1,000 people who resigned from their jobs during the pandemic. The top three reasons for leaving were: 

1. Found a job with higher pay (26.7%) 
2. Found a job that was more personally rewarding (17.4%)
3. Burnout and needing a break (17.3%)     

It didn’t surprise me to learn that the number-two reason people resigned was that they wanted to do more meaningful work. The Great Re-Evaluation has challenged us to consider the intersection of life and work –  shifting and enhancing our perspective about the things that make life meaningful. In reality, people want more than a paycheck; they want to do work that acknowledges their humanity and to work at a company that supports them in doing good for their community. 

According to an article on Forbes.com, “a Deloitte study found that 37% of professionals who made charitable donations in 2020 did so through a workplace program. [In addition, ] a much larger portion of Gen Z and millennial workers did so as well — 58% of professionals ages 18–34 compared to 37% of all employees.”

While Hummingbird Humanity has been around for nearly three years, making the world a better place has been important to me for as long as I can remember, and, in the spirit of practicing what I teach, Hummingbird is engaged in social impact, volunteerism, and philanthropy – at levels commensurate with the size of our organization. Our current programs supporting employees include matching donations and paid volunteer time – and in May 2021, in honor of our 2nd anniversary, employees received $200 to donate to a non-profit of their choosing as a way to celebrate our two-year milestone. 

We recently expanded our social impact commitment with the launch of The Hummingbird Humanity Foundation, which will foster diversity in educational spaces at work, home, and school. In honor of our belief that diversity conversations are for kids, too, the Foundation will initially release a collection of children’s books that celebrate representation across many lived experiences. These books will be written and illustrated by authors and illustrators who identify as members of marginalized communities. 

These investments in social impact, volunteerism, and philanthropy are good for humanity and business. 

For those of you who are leaders in your organization, if you don’t have a social impact plan, it’s time to make this commitment a business imperative. I encourage you to commit, give, support, and invest, not simply because it is the right thing to do but because you recognize the value of leading an organization that is financially successful and positively impacts society.

Brian McComak is the CEO & Founder of Hummingbird Humanity. He is a consultant, speaker, author, and facilitator with over 25 years of experience in DEI, HR, culture, change management, internal communications, and employee experience. He is an openly gay man and a person with a disability who shares his lived experiences in service of fostering workplaces where humans thrive.

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