Plugging Marketplace Talent into Mission Needs
 When I look at the people we’ve brought with us on our “Fishy Business,” trip to Nigeria, I can’t help but think of the word synergy. This is the fourth time I’ve been to Nigeria, and each time has been with a different group of individuals who not only connected deeply to a cause that they felt passionate about, but provided us with a skill set that made them extremely useful to our mission needs.
We’ve got a professional videographer who’s making a video for us; we’ve got an aquaponics pioneer who’s directing the construction of our fish farm. We have an early education specialist who is helping with our youth education center. We challenge our group members physically and emotionally in a setting very much unlike suburban America, and they respond with creative, expert solutions.
Back in the 90s, when I worked for LensCrafters, I was inspired by their OneSight program, which collects out-of-prescription eyeglasses from customers and donates them to underserved children and adults in developing nations. While the program provides publicity for LensCrafters, the real value of the program is that it positively affects many people’s lives.
This program, which engages the talents of employees in the eyeglasses industry, provides a service close to LensCrafters core competency that is larger than just corporate profits. At SkillSource, we match corporate clients with philanthropic endeavors and measure their efforts. We call this philanthropic linkage and measurement program Return on Involvement.
Every employee at every company needs to be fully engaged in his or her work to move the company forward, from the CEO down to the college intern. Companies with engaged work forces have higher profits, higher employee retention, and better corporate cultures.
Each of us also looks for significance in our work. It’s never enough to just work for a paycheck; we are humans, and continually search for meaning in what we do. We found that our clients that engaged in employee philanthropic programs tended to build stronger corporate cultures than companies without a philanthropic bent. Why? When you know that making your sales quota this month allows you accomplish a greater good—say, donate to the nonprofit of your choice—and your company will match it—it suddenly becomes more meaningful to be the best salesman in the company.
We’ve also found that companies that promote employee engagement in their philanthropic activities create better relationships among coworkers, which builds friendships, leadership teams and makes for higher employee satisfaction.
Return on involvement means that we have a safer community, a community more desirable for residents, and a better corporate environment in which to educate employees and build a more cohesive corporate team.
At SkillSource, we want to cultivate the spirit of giving in companies across the city and nation. Examples of SkillSource clients that have used the “return on involvement” are Monroe Mechanical, Inc.’s corporate Passport program, and Deaconess Associations Foundation’s Full Life programs, which help senior citizens age in place in their homes.
The Passport program guides and inspires employees to develop Monroe Mechanical into a “destination” organization for clients, team members and the community. Monroe Mechanical has pledged to donate $100,000 of company time, talent and resources by the end of 2012.
Deaconess’ recent philanthropic initiatives include formation of the Independent Transportation Network of Greater Cincinnati (ITNGC) and an annual Vital Signs Forum on Aging, a gathering of senior health care practitioners who share innovative best practices in senior care. The organization awarded a $25,000 Innovation Award this year to Hebrew Home of New York for its overnight medical care program for Alzheimer’s patients.
Also, research now indicates that companies with strong corporate cultures prosper faster than companies that don’t actively establish and direct a corporate culture. This is more than posting a Mission or Values statement on your website. This has to do with guiding and empowering employees to make sound, ethical decisions to accomplish good work.
We all know that people who look good on paper don’t always perform to expectation. Change has to be honest, deep and fundamental in order to be authentic. That’s why we highly recommend the work of Lynne Ruhl and Gerry Preece at Perfect 10 Certified Corporate Cultures in Fairfield. Good leaders foster a climate of teamwork, professionalism , ethics and support within an organization.
Return on involvement speaks to the hearts of many business owners. It’s also speaking to the residents of Kisayip this week—and our “Fishy Business" group will return to Cincinnati more energized, more dedicated, and more eager to work than when we left.
I’m so glad to have the opportunity to help you think about making a difference as well as a dollar. Please stay tuned for more news from Nigeria,
--Chuck Proudfit, March 25
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