"Giving Back" corporate activities

Efour · 26 Jan 2017 at 19:43

Why don't you guys whip round and give half a day's pay to the charity too?

That way your concious is clear too.
I'm sure everyone here will be impressed with your generosity?

norm · 26 Jan 2017 at 20:39

EvilRob said:
Average pay of the participants at these events is relatively high (probably somewhere in the region of £80-90k per annum).

Median pay please.

EvilRob · 27 Jan 2017 at 00:15

Perhaps there could be a happy medium at these type of events.

Everyone gets the choice beforehand - ditch the event for a couple of hours and sacrifice 2 hours pay, or join in the activity. I'd certainly sacrifice a couple of hours pay and to be fair not just for the contribution to charity (I suppose we probably shouldn't be pressured by the companies we work for to donate cash) but for the additional opportunity to properly network with people I rarely get to see.

Ideal world would be coming up with something that utilises our professional skills for 2 hours. However as a software sales team, this is challenging

Efour · 27 Jan 2017 at 08:02

A sponsored ego and BS talking competition. Most salesmen I've dealt with seem good at it.

Kemik · 27 Jan 2017 at 08:46

EvilRob said:
Interesting views.

I agree with those stating that the best way would be to do something that utilises our professional skills rather than unskilled labour. This would provide higher value while still achieving the aims of giving back to society and potentially team building. Might be difficult though - will have to think about what we could do.

To those who say "someone has to pack it, they need volunteers" and is therefore a good use of the time, I disagree. If we just donated a couple of hours pay instead they could hire way more hours of packers.

I'd be interested to know what charity needs, for example, a team of 80 finance professionals. Small charities are often run by a few individuals. It's much easier to call a partner company and say "do you guys fancy coming down to pack a load of product we will ship?" than place advertisements, do interviews, setup the bank transfers, do all of the other admin.

Tefal · 27 Jan 2017 at 08:50

dowie said:
If they've got time for the whole workforce to take the day off packing meals then they've got plenty of time to stop and consider how effective it actually is.

whoile work force packing things is a local news story, comopnay makes minor donation (on a corporate scale) is a non starter.

fez · 27 Jan 2017 at 08:55

Welcome to the premise of the "gap yaah" OP. Spend thousands going to a poor country and doing a bad job of something you are not good at under the guise of helping others. You are doing it to visit another country and make yourself feel like a charitable person. If you cared that much you would put that £5000 towards a charity in that country that might pay locals to build that school you took 9 months to erect.

dowie · 27 Jan 2017 at 12:35

Tefal said:
whoile work force packing things is a local news story, comopnay makes minor donation (on a corporate scale) is a non starter.

So what, you get a local news story for an already well resourced issue. You're mainly highlighting a benefit to the company there than any overall charitable/altruistic benefit.

If you want PR then a fundraising activity would still allow you to be more effective.

dowie · 27 Jan 2017 at 12:37

fez said:
Welcome to the premise of the "gap yaah" OP. Spend thousands going to a poor country and doing a bad job of something you are not good at under the guise of helping others. You are doing it to visit another country and make yourself feel like a charitable person. If you cared that much you would put that £5000 towards a charity in that country that might pay locals to build that school you took 9 months to erect.

Yes but think of the PR benefit, 'raising awareness' and 'transferable skills', [insert other weak justification]... etc...

Tefal · 27 Jan 2017 at 18:49

dowie said:
So what, you get a local news story for an already well resourced issue. You're mainly highlighting a benefit to the company there than any overall charitable/altruistic benefit.

If you want PR then a fundraising activity would still allow you to be more effective.

Thats exacrly what im highlighting.

Efficent doesnt have to mean fkr the charity.

dowie · 28 Jan 2017 at 02:59

Then why argue with me as my whole position by is that it is a self indulgent activity that isn't effective (specifically with respect to the charity).