Community Involvement Strategies

Family-friendly employers often also support initiatives in the community that promote the health of families as part of their corporate social responsibility.  

What they are

Involvement strategies can include corporate volunteering, workplace giving, and community investment initiatives.  Businesses often align their philanthropic and volunteer efforts with core values so directing donations, volunteer time and even in-kind services that benefit organizations meeting family needs in the community can reinforce the culture of a family-friendly workplace.  

Benefits of implementing these

Companies have an opportunity to tap into their employees’ passions, and employees increasingly report that they find their job more fulfilling when they have opportunities to make a positive impact on society and the environment.  In addition, for-profit companies are seeing the business benefits of positioning their brands “for purpose,” as consumers want and expect companies to address social justice issues.  

Tips and Tools

Offer events for families in the workplace that help children understand aspects of their caregivers’ role and business.

• IBM holds an annual “Take Our Children to Work Day”

• Kendra Scott plans special events for employee’s children on school holidays that don’t align with retail holidays.

• Support local community causes that are identified as important to employees and their families, and partner with organizations to host a family friendly volunteer event.

• Engage with United Way for Greater Austin to become a corporate partner, hold a workplace giving campaign, coordinate a corporate volunteer activity, or coordinate, or participate in a Family Day of Caring event with employees and their families.

Early Matters Greater Austin is a business leaders’ one-stop resource for identifying family friendly community involvement strategies that align with business interests, capacity, and time in the Greater Austin Area. Business leaders are invited to join as an Early Matters Greater Austin Champion to stay informed and connected.