Workplace Giving

Workplace Giving: Transforming Communities, Companies & Charity.

In a socially conscious world, companies increasingly recognise the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). As one of the most impactful ways for a corporate to address its ‘social’ requirement of CSR, workplace giving engages employees and creates positive change. These initiatives support charitable organisations, make a difference in the community, and foster a culture of generosity within organisations. It should be a priority for every large, medium or small company to help society and increase engagement with charity. It only takes one employee to start a workplace giving program and make a significant difference.

What is Workplace Giving?

Workplace giving enables employees to donate to charities directly through their employer. This can include payroll deductions, one-time donations, and matching gift programs (where a company matches the donations of its employees). Employees make small, regular donations from their pre-tax pay. It’s simple, low cost and effective¹. This reduces the barrier to giving and spreads it over the payroll cycle. Where small donations over time combined with other involved staff can make a significant impact in the local community through charitable organisations.

Employers facilitate this process by providing a platform for employees to work and give back to causes they care about. This can be an external workplace giving provider or an inhouse arrangement. In any instance, the organisation partners with charities with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, thereby reducing the tax paid by employees and the organisation, if it chooses to match their staff’s donations or donates independently. See our other article on DGR for further information.

Benefits for Employees

Empowerment: Workplace giving empowers employees to support causes they are passionate about. This sense of agency can enhance job satisfaction and engagement.

Community Connection: Participating in charitable giving helps employees feel more connected to their communities. This connection can lead to a more fulfilling work experience as they see the direct impact of their contributions.

Tax Incentives: Donations made through workplace giving can be deducted from an employee’s pay before taxes, maximising their contributions and benefits.

Advantages for Employers

Enhanced Employee Morale: Companies that support charitable giving often see improved employee morale. When employees feel their values align with their employer’s, they are more likely to be engaged and more productive.

Attracting Talent: A robust workplace giving program can be a powerful recruitment tool. Many job seekers look for employers that prioritise social responsibility and community engagement.

Positive Company Image: Demonstrating a commitment to giving back enhances a company’s reputation, attracting customers and clients who value CSR.

How to Implement a Workplace Giving Program

Assess employee interests: Conduct surveys to understand which causes resonate most with the workforce. This ensures that the program aligns with the employees’ passions.

Choose a platform or build your own programme: Select a user-friendly platform that allows employees to easily donate and track their contributions. Consider partnering with established giving platforms that offer various charity options.

Organisations can create their own programs and implement the necessary requirements to start a workplace giving program. There are also external consultants who can help.

Choose Charity partners: There are at least 20K+ charities in Australia that can receive tax deductible donations. It’s essential to figure out what causes are important to your business, so you choose charity partners that are the right ‘fit’. Have a look at our article about choosing a charity.

Promote participation: Actively encourage employees to participate by highlighting the program’s benefits through internal communications, team meetings, and events.

Match donations: Consider implementing a matching gift program where the company matches their employee’s contributions. This not only doubles the impact but also incentivises giving.

Celebrate success: Regularly highlight the impact of the workplace giving program through newsletters or meetings. Recognising employee contributions can boost morale and encourage ongoing participation.

Some tips for implementing a workplace giving program¹:

• Explain why the business is establishing the program, link messaging to culture, values and strategy.
• Engage senior leadership to endorse their and the company’s support for the program.
• Allocate resources to coordinate program development, and launch.
• Decide your giving strategy: donate to a selection of charity partners, offer employees the opportunity to select any charity of their choice, or combine the two approaches.
• Set up a system for processing donations with the payroll team. Most payroll software packages have built in payroll giving processing facilities.
• Engage employees via a launch event and internal communication inviting them to attend and sign up.

Conclusion

Workplace giving is more than just a charitable initiative; it’s a way to build a thriving company culture that values community engagement. By fostering a spirit of giving, companies can not only transform their workplace but also create lasting change in the communities they serve. In a world where purpose matters, workplace giving is an opportunity to align business goals with social impact.

If you are a company or an employee and donate to charity and not donating through workplace giving find out why? For further information visit Workplace Giving Australia.

By prioritising workplace giving, we can increase Corporate Social Responsibility, empower employees, enhance company culture, and make a meaningful difference—together by giving.

Guide

1: https://content.workplacegivingaustralia.org.au/app/uploads/2020/02/WGA-1MD-DIY-Guide-V2.pdf