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4 minute read
As the crisp air and changing leaves usher in the fall season, HR leaders have a unique opportunity to reinvigorate their teams and make a lasting impact. Fall is a season full of causes and opportunities to engage employees around meaningful work while boosting company culture. With the right employee engagement strategies, you can increase employee engagement, strengthen retention, and support causes that align with your company’s values.
Here’s how you can leverage the fall season to improve employee engagement and maximize your company’s impact.
1. Skills-based volunteering
One of the most effective employee engagement activities you can promote is skills-based volunteering. Encouraging employees to use their professional skills to support nonprofit organizations not only enhances their sense of purpose but also fosters personal and professional growth. For example, during National Hispanic Heritage Month, you can connect employees with nonprofits serving or led by the Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx communities. This type of targeted, skills-based engagement allows employees to make meaningful contributions while also aligning with the company's diversity and inclusion goals.
“Serving on an advisory board has allowed me to expand my understanding of the educational system, where it falls short in supporting students, and how to empower members of a community to use their own experiences to help each other succeed. It has also given me the opportunity to try new things within my skill set, and develop a portfolio of work that was indispensable in helping me to get the job I work at now.”
Hannah S., Volunteer
2. Team volunteering
Group volunteer activities are a great way to build camaraderie and improve employee engagement. Organizing team volunteering events around causes that matter, such as participating in Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiatives, can create a sense of unity. Employees could volunteer at fundraising events for breast cancer research, raise awareness, or assist nonprofits focused on women's health. These team-based activities offer an excellent way to enhance employee engagement and retention while making a tangible impact on the community.
3. Offer volunteer time off (VTO)
Offer time off for volunteerism and key moments like Election Day, allowing employees the space to take part in civic engagement efforts, cast their votes, and represent their communities.
Fall is also an ideal time to implement workplace giving campaigns. These can be paired with company-wide volunteer days, creating opportunities for employees to engage both financially and through hands-on efforts. By offering volunteer time off for these initiatives, you give employees the agency to give back to the causes they care about and contribute in meaningful ways.
After attending a volunteer event facilitated by Catchafire:
"With our team still being relatively new, I thought this was a great team-building exercise. It gave our team additional time to get to know each other and share ideas outside of our normal day-to-day activities.”
Reggie R., Associate Director, Patient Assistance Program
Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation
4. Charitable giving and financial contributions
Another way to boost employee engagement is through charitable giving and financial contributions. Veterans Day is a particularly powerful opportunity for your organization to recognize and support veterans through volunteer projects and outreach programs. Whether through direct financial contributions or volunteer initiatives supporting veterans' organizations, employees will feel a sense of pride and fulfillment by participating in efforts that align with the company’s values.
Rally around fall causes and events
Autumn is rich with causes and special dates that HR professionals can use to engage their workforce. Here are some key fall initiatives to consider:
- National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15–Oct 15): Rally your team to support nonprofits serving Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx communities through skills-based volunteering.
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October): Highlight inclusion and accessibility in the workplace while supporting nonprofits focused on empowering individuals with disabilities.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October): Encourage employees to support women’s health initiatives through volunteering or giving campaigns.
- Veterans Day (November 11): Organize volunteer projects that recognize and support veterans.
- National Philanthropy Day (November 15): Celebrate giving back to the community with a company-wide event that allows employees to contribute both time and resources.
These events provide a natural framework for your employee engagement strategies and help build momentum leading up to the holiday season and Giving Tuesday. By focusing on these causes and initiatives, you'll see the benefits of employee engagement not just in the short term, but in long-term retention and overall employee satisfaction.
How to improve employee engagement with technology
To make the most of these initiatives, consider using employee engagement software to streamline the process. Employee engagement software like Catchafire provides a centralized platform where you can:
- Offer volunteer opportunities for causes like Veterans Day or National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- Organize volunteer events for your managers, ERGs, and entire company
- Track employee volunteerism and financial contributions
- Recognize and incentivize employees for their contributions to nonprofit organizations
This software not only simplifies the process but also makes improving employee engagement measurable and trackable, helping you assess what’s working and how to continuously increase employee engagement.
Catchafire can support your company in key moments:
Tailored volunteering
Employees can search for volunteer opportunities based on their skill set and availability. Virtual, in-person, hybrid, individual, and team volunteer opportunities are available. Whether it’s 15 minutes of microvolunteering, a one-hour consultation call, or a long-term project, there’s something for everyone.
Organizing giving days and company-wide volunteer events
Organize your teams, managers, and ERGs around specific causes and company moments. We’ll curate each event to your company’s needs. A dedicated event manager manages all logistics and is on-site the day of for support.
Nonprofit board recruitment
Our board recruitment tool matches employees to nonprofits seeking board members, allowing for long-term impact and skill development.
Custom impact reporting
Receive all the real-time data you need to take back to stakeholders like volunteer hours donated, impact value created, communities served, and cause areas.
Charitable giving
Offer donation matching, rewards, and recognition to employees to support their volunteer efforts.
