Page 32 - ACF Young Australians Research Report

Recommendation 1:
Continual Promotion and Raising Awareness
It was identified that 15.4% of survey respondents were unsure of whether their workplace had a Workplace Giving Program. This suggests that there are individuals with access to a WGP that are unaware of it. Therefore, a key recommendation is to increase marketing and publicity of the program in all workplaces. This can
be achieved through the company’s communication boards, internal email or intranet sites. For example, companies can set up a Facebook page or other internal communication channel that announces the progress or status updates of the charities they support through the WGP. Employees who ‘like’ the page
will receive notifications of these updates when they access their Facebook account or other internal communication accounts. This can be further reinforced with quarterly events hosted by the employer, where they can present the story-arch of individuals or communities that have benefited from the WGP. Many of
the participants in the interviews stated that emotional connection was a major factor that would influence their decision to donate. Having a short video or presentation that documented a success story would be a powerful and emotive tool to engage non-donors to take part in the WGP. Once again, social events like these can be promoted through Facebook or another internal communication channel, which allows companies to access and invite all their employees. This also presents the WGP as a social effort, employees have a chance to talk to others and learn about the positive impacts of the WGP. Increased channels of communication will create higher visibility of the WGP and ensure potential participants are not lost for lack of awareness.
Recommendation 2:
Informed and Strategic Choice of Causes
As individuals like to engage with charities and causes that resonate with them, it is recommended that employers offer a diverse range of charities that cover a strategic spectrum of causes. In the survey, the most popular causes were health and social services, as well as international disaster relief causes. At the very least, companies should support charities in these areas in order to maximise appeal and participation. It is also recommended that companies engage their employees when selecting causes and charities for their WGP. Involving employees will ensure people’s preferred charities and causes are included as well as creating a sense of responsibility for and ownership over the WGP.
Recommendation 3:
Establishing Trust in Charities of Accountabilities
Another key finding was that employees are more comfortable to donate when they trust that charitable partners are reliable and they are informed on how their donations are being spent. Therefore, it is encouraged to regularly provide participants with relevant information about their programmes such as access to cost- breakdowns/annual financial statements about the charities or supported projects as well as information on current projects and success stories. Providing information and building stronger relationships with charitable partners will ensure participants feel informed and engaged, overcoming any lingering scepticism.
30 YOUNG AUSTRALIANS; MOTIVATIONS FOR WORKPLACE GIVING | 2016