KRISTIN HOCKING
VANCOUVER ISLAND – The Island’s business community has a deep legacy of giving back. These amazing efforts are helping to strengthen the very places we work and live in. If your business is looking to expand its community outreach, here are some things to consider:
What are your community’s needs & how do they align with your company’s purpose?
When you connect your actions to your “Why,” it resonates further and makes for a stronger, more natural community effort. This is especially important when you want to engage your employees. For example, good financial health is important to many Islanders and to us at Coastal Community. In response, we have several initiatives that work to improve financial skills in the community, including our Each One Teach One financial literacy program. Employees are eager to support this initiative, knowing that their volunteer efforts reflect who we are and what we do.
Draw inspiration from around you.
Community efforts become more effective when they’re connected to something deeper. Try engaging your customer base or your employees to uncover some amazing opportunities to help. Providing them with the chance to support the selected cause, even if it’s as simple as a change jar on your counter, brings it back full circle.
Simple is still significant.
There’s a time and place for major community initiatives and in between those are opportunities to do some good on a smaller level. Recently, some of our employees on Gabriola started their workday by picking up litter around the neighbourhood. Their simple act of community kindness generated lots of interest on social media. A small-scale effort is easy to implement, delivers immediate results, and leaves lots of room to get creative—which can all resonate with your community.
Your employees play an important role.
You should notice a theme emerging in this article—your employees are critical to your efforts! By inspiring them to help, and supporting them in doing so, you’ll be fostering leadership, positivity and gratitude. These are also the qualities that make for a strong workplace culture. It’s a win-win!
No matter the shape or form of your business’s community efforts, thank you for helping to make a meaningful difference in the places we call home.
Kristin Hocking, BTRM is a Community Experience Specialist at Coastal Community Credit Union. To learn how Coastal Community gives back, click here.
