5 Ways Your Business Can Give Back During the Holidays
By Heather Remington
As the holidays near, day-to-day life can start to feel a little crazy with all of the shopping and preparation going on. Despite all of the chaos, the holiday season is the perfect time for your company to give back to its community. For many, the holidays are a difficult time of year, and your company has the opportunity to make a difference.
Whether your company can give a lot or a little, it will make an impact. Here are five ways you can give back this holiday season.
1. Office Volunteer Day
It’s understandable that many companies cannot afford to use up part of, or all of a day to volunteer, but if it is possible, this is an incredible way to show appreciation for your community. Your company, or each department, can choose a cause to volunteer for and spend a few hours or a whole day giving back. This not only gives back to the community, but can also be a great way to strengthen your company culture and relationships between employees.
2. Donate a Percentage of Your Profits
Donating a percentage of your profits during the holidays is a simple, but impactful way to give back to the community. Your company can decide on the percentage to give, how long to donate the percentage for, and what charity to give it to. No matter if the charity you choose is related to your industry, or just of importance to the company, make sure to explain its importance to your customers and clients so they understand how their purchases are helping.
3. Host a Toy or Food Drive
A toy or food drive is one of the easiest ways to make a big difference. It is as simple as setting up a box in the office for toys or food and encouraging employees to help fill the boxes. A great way to get employees more involved is by having a friendly competition between departments or teams. Whether the incentive is a small prize or just bragging rights, a little competition can really drive up employee contributions. At the end of the drive, a few volunteers can collect everything that has been donated and take it to the chosen charity.
4. Sponsor a Family
Sponsoring a family is one of my favorite ways to give back during the holidays because it is incredibly personal and means the world to the family you sponsor. The office I worked for during college did this every year. All of the departments involved were invested in making Christmas a special time for their sponsored family. Sponsoring a family gives you the opportunity to buy presents off of each family member’s Christmas list so they can each receive something special during Christmas. This can also be called “Adopt a Family.” Your company can do this by department or create teams that each get a family to adopt during the holidays.
5. Donate Your Product or Service
Depending on what product or service your company provides, you may consider donating to a local charity, business, or non-profit. There are many ways that you can donate your skills or products, so get creative! If you own a toy store, consider donating some of your toys to a local charity. Maybe you have a restaurant or bakery; you could offer free meals for the homeless on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or both. Provide what you can, within your company’s means, to make a difference.
Take a moment with your managers and coworkers to talk about the impact your company can make and how you want to give back this holiday season. You will undoubtedly feel good about your contribution and will form a deeper connection with your community.
