How actively do you encourage employees to contribute to their community?

Our reader poll today asks: How actively do you encourage employees to contribute to their community?

– Very – we even make it part of their work evaluations: 15%
– Kind of – we suggest they participate in the community and suggest how to do so: 44%
– Not very – if they participate, it’s up to them: 34%
– Not at all – we demand so much at work that they don’t have time for community: 7%

Get them involved. Getting your people involved in the communities where they work or live can have powerful and positive business impacts. Your employees will have a better view of your company because you encourage giving back. That should drive both engagement and morale which improves performance and retention. You’ll also enhance your brand and customer relationships. Remember – your customers and partners also work and live in that same community. You never know where or when the next big client relationship will begin. It might just be at a community event attended by that prospect and one of your associates. When you look at community involvement more broadly, the business benefits become clear (not to mention you’re making the world a better place and we could really use some of that these days).

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.