Volunteering good for employee morale

Successful corporate philanthropic efforts, John Guedry says, need to be firmly rooted in the commitment of individual employees.

And Guedry, the president and chief executive officer of Business Bank of Nevada, should know.

His company was honored this month with a Governor's Point of Light Award from the Nevada Commission for National & Community Service.

Business Bank's 80 employees about 15 in Carson City and Douglas County, the rest in Las Vegas volunteer for organizations such as Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada and Friends in Service Helping "FISH," for short in Carson City.

That employee involvement, Guedry said, helps Business Bank decide where to devote its corporate resources.

And highly involved employees, he said, become the catalyst for more employee volunteerism as their enthusiasm spreads.

"You can't shame people into being involved," Guedry said.

"You can't bully people into being involved."

But employers, he said, still play an important role they provide opportunities for people to volunteer.

"It's our corporate responsibility to create those opportunities," Guedry said.

"When you create those opportunities for employees to become involved, it's good business."

The primary benefit, he said, is that employees who are involved in volunteer activities through their workplace are more likely to feel good about themselves and their jobs.

That, in turn, reduces turnover.

In smaller companies, Guedry said community involvement also helps create a feeling among employees that they're part of an extended family.

Business Bank seeks to encourage that further by encouraging employees to involve their spouses and children in community efforts.

Employee involvement sometimes can make a bigger splash than a cash donation.

At one recent Habitat for Humanity event, for instance, Business Bank turned out five times more employees than a bigger competition that had made a big cash contribution.

Does volunteerism pay marketing benefits? Yes and no.

Paul Stowell, senior vice president of Business Bank, said a recent study found 76 percent of consumers would switch brands or retailers to one associated with a good cause, assuming price and service were equal.

But, Guedry cautioned that businesses that undertake charitable activities solely as a marketing tool almost certainly will fail because they don't have the commitment to stick with it.

As Business Bank becomes involved in community activities such as assistance of at-risk schoolchildren that occur during traditional work hours, the company found that employees are willing to resolve management issues on their own.

"The employees will work through those issues," said Larry Charlton, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"They'll make sure, for instance, that they've got coverage."

Even while successful philanthropy depends on involved employees, Guedry said it also requires the support of the shareholders and boards of directors whose resources will be devoted to community projects.

Those resources, he said, needn't be limited to cash and employee time.

Business Bank has donated computers and other equipment to nonprofits.

It's used its employees' expertise to raise funds leveraging the bank's cash contributions.

In fact, it's employee involvement that helps Business Bank decide which of many deserving charities it will support.

"You cannot be all things to all people," Stowell said.

"We do a rifle approach rather than a shotgun approach."

The Points of Light Award, Stowell said, highlights that small companies can do just as much with motivated employees as large companies can do with cash contributions.

"It doesn't take just dollars," he said.

"It just as much about community involvement.