Providing Purpose in the Workplace

How Plan International Can Help You Keep Employees Engaged and Motivated

Plan International Canada

Why do you work? What factors do you list to others when you respond to the question: why are you engaged in what you do?

A massive report by Gallup polled full-time and part-time workers across 155 countries on their active engagement in the workplace. The study found that only 15% of workers feel engaged by their jobs. The nearly 85% of workers remaining were either not engaged or actively disengaged from their jobs.

Low levels of employee engagement are correlated with overall mental health in the workplace, so a key element to maintaining a positive work environment is to engage employees.

In a previous Gallup poll, engaged employees revealed that their motivation is the impact of the work itself — that their values and beliefs align directly with those of the workplace and the outcomes they achieve.

So how do employers demonstrate their corporate values and ensure employees are engaged in their work and able to enforce their sense of purpose?

A study conducted by the University of Southampton revealed that innovative solutions like charitable incentives help employees relate to company values. It showed that corporate giving can increase employee engagement by up to 30%.

By offering innovative opportunities to get your workplace involved in charitable giving, Plan International Canada helps to connect company and employee values for increased employee engagement. We are a global development organization that works to make lasting change in every key aspect of a child’s life. We seek to create a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls and we’re proud to have a positive sustainable global impact on the lives of children. We welcome the opportunity to help employers meaningfully reinforce your company’s values through corporate social responsibility.

Our team of fundraising experts helps to empower your workplace through innovative events and activities or charitable incentives. By supporting Plan International Canada, you can unleash the potential of thousands of children while inspiring your organization.

That’s exactly the kind of opportunity Ital Florist embraced.

Innovative Involvement

Ital Florist has been embracing charitable opportunities as a way to engage their staff for decades and has fundraised for Plan International for nearly five years. As a family owned and operated business in the Greater Toronto Area, they embrace every innovative opportunity to support the global community. “Giving is a part of our culture,” says Ester, Ital Florist Executive. “When my parents started the business, they strongly believed in giving. Investing in the community was something they fostered in us.”

Charitable giving has become a long-standing tradition at Ital Florist, even as the company has grown to over 40 employees. They raise funds as a friend group, who also happens to be co-workers and employees. Giving has inspired a positive environment in their workplace, increasing social involvement and bringing shared values to the forefront. This was particularly emphasized when they launched an annual community celebration that supports Plan International Canada.

Five years ago, Ester and her brother decided to carry over a European tradition to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th. As a family that immigrated from Italy, Ester and her brother knew that traditionally, women are celebrated with mimosa flowers. So, they decided to honour women of the community and recognize their accomplishments at an annual gala, presenting them with mimosa flowers imported straight from Italy.

Festa della Donna is an event that gets the entire organization planning: “We are involved in the planning all year round, but really hit the ground running in January. Of course, because we all work together, we all have the same busy periods which, for us, is Christmas time and Valentine’s — right before International Women’s Day,” says Ester. “Even if the employees aren’t directly involved in the planning, they are incredibly supportive. Our business runs like a family.”

Through Plan International Canada, Festa della Donna supports girls’ education, a value that resonates strongly with employees throughout Ital Florists. Plan International aligns perfectly as a charitable partner because we tackle multi-faceted barriers to education. As leading experts in the field, we work to ensure children, their families and communities get the knowledge and life skills they need to realize their full potential. Festa della Donna has raised nearly $50,000 to date and recently hosted their fifth celebration in March this year.

Inspiring purpose in the workplace

Plan International’s holistic approach addresses barriers at every stage of a child’s life to break the cycle of poverty. Ital Florist decided to support general girls’ education, however, funding can also be directed to a specific project in other areas like health and protection. Then, supporters can follow the progress of these projects as they are implemented over the years.

We work in over 70 countries, unleashing human potential by improving health, education and safety for children. With remarkable opportunities to get your workplace engaged, joining Plan International Canada will inspire your internal shared purpose while investing in global development and sustainability.

At Plan International Canada, we work to end inequalities that perpetuate the cycle of poverty and empower youth to realize their intrinsic rights to health, protection and education.

We work to change what has long been accepted as normal.

Why do you work?

Your opportunity to make a change

Plan International Canada offers all the tools you need to engage employees in a meaningful shared cause. From workplace campaigns and company matching, to payroll giving, cause-marketing or events, we can help tailor a solution made for you.

For more information on ways to get involved, visit us at plancanada.ca/20million.