So when employees donate time or money to charitable causes, it boosts their happiness at work. Obviously, workplace giving financially benefits the charities of choice. And for employers, it increases employee engagement and retention.
Last month’s Securian Financial employee giving campaign created a wonderful opportunity to make an impact on the communities in which we live and work. But it also provided us the chance to contribute to our own community – the Securian culture.
With opportunities ranging from payroll giving to volunteering to attending an employee variety show, 47% of employees participated in the campaign. Employees financial contributions totaled $414,000 which will impact 425 different organizations.
“People found so many ways to take part,” said Kate Mayer, Community Relations. “This isn’t just about money. It’s about engaging associates in activities that are meaningful to them and raising awareness of organizations they may choose to support. We offered an all-company volunteer opportunity as part of the campaign Not only did we fill our Downtown St. Paul campus with volunteers, but we also invited remote associates to participate from their homes or offices too.”
Jennifer Pedigo, a Securian employee in Florida participated in the snack pack volunteer activity remotely. “The remote volunteer option was a fun way to connect with associates outside of St. Paul, and it was meaningful to create a caring link between Securian and a local non-profit with the You Matter snack bags.”
Dan Jackson, senior regional sales consultant, led the coordination of the team trivia event. “The event made me realize just how many incredibly smart associates we have,” he said. “I think our participants truly enjoy the team-building aspects of Trivia.”
The giving campaign is all about choice. Employees are passionate about things in their own communities, whether that means interests or geography. Making it easy to give allows Securian to support them in those passions.
To raise associate’s awareness of organizations, Securian Associate Resources Groups brought forward some new options, including 180 Degrees, Clare Housing, Stop Soldier Suicide, and WomenVenture. Other organizations people donated to, both local and national, include United Way, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), The Sanneh Foundation, and Neighborhood House.
Impacting employees
According to Mayer, associates engaged in the giving campaign – or any other community-focused program – tend to be more engaged all around. They feel proud to work for an employer that supports them in being involved in their communities. Job candidates are interested in our community impact too. “When people interview with Securian, they ask about community programs! They seek employers who demonstrate values that match their own.” she said.
And while the holidays are a popular time of year in which to donate time and money, Securian makes sure there are community engagement opportunities year-round, including a matching gift program, a dollars for doers program, and volunteer paid time off.
Impacting the Securian culture
According to Jennifer Wolf, 2022 Chair of the Securian Financial giving campaign, “The Securian giving campaign encourages all associates to come together with a common goal – transforming our communities. Doing so helps us build connections with each other and make an even bigger impact while demonstrating our Securian culture of helping others.”
