Company culture plays a big role in employee satisfaction and retention. Some companies embrace a work hard, play hard ideology, others embrace giving back to the communities in which they are located. Deloitte, Salesforce, Stryker and others listed in the March 2015 Fortune article by Benjamin Snyder (@WriterSnyder) pay their employees for their time while they give back. Employees are encouraged to get into the community and share their talents. They do good works for others, they can feel good about their achievements and proud of their company for supporting their efforts. This is a triple win!
Many groups enjoy rolling up their sleeves and spending time with their colleagues to volunteer. At CEI, we have created short, impactful programs to offer a balance of teambuilding and volunteering that can either stand alone or cap off an all day meeting or conference. We often customize the program to align with the meeting message, conference theme or company’s focus. Here we share with you some popular ideas for your company to pitch in as a group to help your community.
With Kids In Mind
Operation Toy Box is a popular activity that benefits children from a local charity or hospital. Volunteers have their own fond memories of playing with their favorite toys when they were kids. They instantly connect with the challenge of building a toy chest for a child in need and filling it with board games, stuffed animals and sports equipment. Teams compete in challenges to win their children accessories such as stickers and decorative items to make their toy chests stand out. The best part of the experience is when the children come in to the room at the end of the build. Here at CEI, we try to coordinate this reveal as often as we can. The volunteers are excited to see the children and the children are overwhelmed when they receive the toy chests! Tears flow, and heartfelt words are expressed…it’s a wonderful experience for everyone.
Another child oriented CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) event is Back2School. Teams compete in classroom themed activities to win vouchers that can be redeemed for school supplies. Backpacks and Teacher Kits are filled with necessary items to get the school year started off on the right foot. This is a great event to host in late July or August before school starts, but kids’ supplies need to be replenished during the winter months as well, making this a year round hit!
To promote literacy, volunteers might resonate with CEI’s Kid Lit program. Participants assemble story time essentials like stuffing a teddy bear, making a comfy pillow, decorating a bookmark and selecting a special book for a young reader. While many children have access to books at school or their local library, some do not have books they can call their own. This list of 11 Facts about Literacy in America, compiled by DoSomething.org, sheds light on the literacy issues in our country today. By choosing the Kid Lit event, your company creates a hands-on way to encourage children to develop a love for reading.
Adults Need a Boost Too
At CEI, we like to put a competitive spin on volunteering. One way we do this is with our Putt Putt Engineering for Charity program. This is perfect for all those people in your group who imagine themselves on the links with professional golfers Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth. Teams design their own hole in one challenge using boxes, cans and cases of food. Once building is done, each team presents their green to the judges and, if time allows, they play a round or two before donating all of the grocery items to a food bank, soup kitchen or other charity. A study conducted by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, showed that 1 in 6 people in Cook County are not sure when or where they will get their next meal. Putt Putt Engineering for Charity is a fun and easy way for your team to help so many in need.
A new activity we added to our offerings is One Team: Chemo Care. Volunteers create chemo care packages which are donated through a local Chicago charity called Lemons of Love to area hospitals. Teams compete in challenges to win additional items for their boxes. Upon completing the boxes, if available, a member from the charity will come to thank your team. If your team wants to help “Cancer Suck Less” as the charity’s motto goes, then this event is for you!
Team building with a charitable twist goes a long way to help an employee feel good about themselves, their co-workers and their company. There are many details that need to be put together to create and execute a successful CSR event. The key factor is selecting a cause meaningful to your organization. CEI can handle the rest!
Contact us!
Corporate Event Interactive
312-540-1000