Rewarding Tenure with Volunteering

By Maeve Spence  |  18 December 2024

As Emerging World closes out our 20th Anniversary year, we’re celebrating the stories and milestones that have shaped our work since 2004 through #20storiesfor20years! Follow the hashtag or check out our LinkedIn page to catch up on all the stories we’ve featured so far.

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At Emerging World, our employee engagement programmes have traditionally centered on skills-based corporate volunteering. Over the last 20 years, we’ve worked with numerous clients to leverage their employees’ expertise and skills in addressing the challenges faced by our nonprofit partners. These programmes have not only created meaningful impact for the nonprofits, but also broadened and deepened participants’ learning in the process.

A New Design Approach

When Unit4 approached us in late 2021, they had a slightly different programme design in mind. As the world emerged from the depths of the pandemic, and their workforce shifted increasingly to remote or hybrid contexts, they sought to create a unique way to reward employee milestone anniversaries of 5, 10, 15+ years, with an opportunity to volunteer for a cause their people care about, while giving back to the community.

In this way, Unit4 could demonstrate how much they valued their colleagues and their contribution towards business growth at the company during their tenure. In addition to an employee recognition programme that focuses solely on  employees, Unit4 also wanted to give participants an opportunity to support nonprofit organisations with their sustainability and social impact goals.

When Unit4 asked their people what they’d like to see more of, the feedback was that they’d value the opportunity to step away from their desks and engage in something completely different, while making meaningful contributions in new and fulfilling ways.

Programme Design

The Act4Good Anniversary Experience met all the requirements and exemplified our ability to design a bespoke programme while incorporating best practices in employee engagement. Working closely with Unit4, we crafted a programme to deliver a “once-in-a-lifetime week of in-person volunteering with colleagues, doing meaningful work and supporting a cause participating employees’ care about”.

The design process integrated several key themes, which we’ve identified as essential for maximising impact in corporate volunteering programmes:

• Right Partner, Right Project– Ensure projects meet real partner needs and incorporate a diverse group of employees who bring valuable perspectives and skills to the project
• Focus Support– Provide tangible support to ensure that participants feel prepared for the experience and well-supported throughout
• Make it Human– Build opportunities for human connection between employees and nonprofit partners as well as among the employees themselves
• Optimise the Learning– Identify learning opportunities throughout the programme and measure the impact on participants’ personal and professional growth
• Get the Board on Board – Engage leadership champions to amplify the programme’s importance.

Throughout the programme delivery, we developed a strong partnership with Unit4, working collaboratively with their team and with our partner organisations to ensure success.

Impact and Insights

Three years on, the Act4Good Anniversary Experience continues to demonstrate the transformative power of employees coming together from diverse backgrounds and different parts of the business, around a common cause. Participants have consistently shared inspiring testimonials about their experiences, highlighting the meaningful connections they’ve formed with colleagues, the sense of pride they felt in their volunteer contributions, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

“This trip has been transformative for me….it’s made me appreciate where I work even more, and I’m leaving with a renewed sense of motivation and gratitude.”

– Rafael Artacho, Act4Good Anniversary Experience Participant

In 2024, 98% of surveyed participants reported that the experience had a positive impact on their well-being. 73% felt a stronger connection to Unit’s purpose. Among those who volunteered on sustainability focused projects, 63% expressed a desire to adopt more sustainable practices in their personal and professional lives.

Nonprofit partners benefited equally, noting the timeliness of the employees’ support and how their contributions have helped them achieve even more than they could have done on their own.

“Unit4’s work has been crucial for the farm’s survival, as among the climate change consequences, are the heavy rains that drag away the soil, especially where there are no trees.”

– Partner Representative, Italy

The Future

As we prepare for Unit4’s Act4Good Anniversary Experience in 2025, we look forward to building on the success of the programme and continuing to uncover insights from this impactful partnership.

If you’d like to explore how Emerging World can help you design a bespoke employee engagement experience that creates meaningful impact for your employees and communities, reach out!