This past weekend, I spent much of Saturday alongside of two very dear friends of mine, James Chan and Ryan Tsuji bringing months of planning to reality for our annual event, Bow Ties and Bling. James and Ryan are the founders of The Rizen Hawaii Organization (www.rizenhawaii.org) . Last year, they asked me to join the team as the third member, so that together, we can form a registered and official non-profit organization. I am happy to be the bling to their bow ties and glad to report we had another successful event this year! Thank you to anyone who attended, your support is greatly appreciated!
As with many of my activities, I relate my involvement with The Rizen Hawaii Organization back to my work as a Transformation Consultant, helping people have healthy, happy workplaces. I am truly grateful to have a profession that allows me to incorporate giving back to my community as part of my regular routine. This gratitude translates into ongoing commitment to my business, which means better service and delivery to my clients. What does this all mean to you? By incorporating philanthropy and volunteering into your workplace, you too may enjoy the result of employees who are grateful, happy and committed to your business. Below are some ideas on ways you and your staff can start giving back:
- Beach clean ups
- Bake sales, proceeds benefiting a designated charity
- Benefits walks and fun runs
- Food shelter donations
- Toy drives
- Serving the homeless during holidays
- Land restoration projects
- Charity dinners and wine tasting events
- Fashion or talent shows
- Scholarships or grant awards for students in your industry
- Volun-touring, travel and volunteering combined
- Employee’s choice, paid time off
- Product discounts and trades for customers who participate
- Giving via payroll deduction
- Corporate matching
These are just a few ideas, ranging from small scale and autonomous to large scale and involvement of a third party. Before deciding, it is recommended that you discuss and brainstorm with your team. The last thing they want is to be “volun-told”, when that happens participation inevitably decreases. Find out from them what they are passionate about, support those causes and do so in a way that is fun for them. Heck, maybe even make it competitive if that’s the spirit of your company. In the event that there is wide discrepancy, consider a rotation or a program where they can give back in their own way individually but still feel supported by you, their employer.
Transform Consulting was founded on the premise that when we enjoy work, we enjoy our overall lives more. If a corporate philanthropy or volunteer program is of interest to you but you’re not sure where to start, we encourage you to contact us so we can help you!
