Weber/Davis Update: Build employee commitment through shared purpose

Tim Jackson

The Great Resignation is here and it’s real. It’s no secret that one of the greatest challenges that businesses face today is recruiting and retaining employees. Recently, I attended a conference that reported that during the latter half of 2021, Americans had quit their jobs at a record pace and that it’s projected that 23 percent of current employees are expected to seek new jobs in 2022.

The market is being flooded right now with people looking for something better, looking for a company that cares. A recent study found that companies who have a strong commitment to social responsibility often find it easier to recruit and retain talented and diverse employees (realizedworth.com).

Delivering positive, lasting and measurable change helps your employees feel connected and engaged — important elements that many employees felt slipped due to the isolation of the pandemic. And for a millennial-dominated workforce, 81 percent say they want to support a brand with corporate citizenship (Georgetown University).

Employees have had enough of organizations who don’t care. In fact, it was reported that over half of employees said they would choose to work for a socially responsible company, even if it meant a lower salary (fastcompany.com). In my years at United Way of Northern Utah, I’ve been privileged to work with hundreds of businesses and community partners to support philanthropic causes that their employees care about most.

Through our individual corporate giving campaigns, we empower each employee with personal choice. Whether they are passionate about education, health, income, leadership or any other 501(c)(3) cause, each employee decides how they want to support the community — whether it be monetary or volunteer time. And because 95 percent of surveyed employees said they were more invested in their company’s future when involved in giving (realizedworth.com), granting them that personalized choice is even more impactful in their company experience.

As experts in giving back, we have 65-plus years working with 430 partners, 90 companies, 3,200 donors and 1,800 volunteers serving 102,000 of the 300,000 residents in Northern Utah. Because we unite, we are able to:

• Focus on building short- and long-term educational solutions so all children have the chance to succeed.

• Identify and address the social determinants of health for individuals.

• Build communities of financial stable and independent families that go beyond a one-time or temporary assistance.

• Draw leaders in to support community-wide efforts that bring diverse people together, creating alignment and building a better future.

The truth is, we have a wealth of community assets and incredible people. But not everyone in our community is thriving.

• Children are struggling to succeed with school and life.

• Families are struggling to be financially stable.

• Individuals have health problems like heart disease, diabetes and depression.

• Communities struggle with a sense of security, belonging and trust.

But when we unite, I’ve seen our most vulnerable thrive.

For example, Bechtel, one of our corporate partners, chose to host a community baby shower this year. Together, they donated two full carloads of baby items and 1,000 diapers. Because of their generosity, mothers like Sarah who struggle financially were able to benefit.

Sarah was a new mom with very little resources. Each month since the birth of her child, she struggled more and more to make ends meet. One particular morning she was feeling especially helpless as she had put the last diaper on her baby and didn’t expect to get paid until the following week. That day, one of our Welcome Baby program home visitors saw her name on the visit roster and took a pack of diapers with her that day. Hearing a knock at the door, Sarah answered and burst into tears of gratitude.

So who are the game changers in our community? They’re people who know that at the core of every human being is a desire to do good — people who recognize the power that comes from a shared purpose, people who understand they’re always stronger together than they are alone an people like that home visitor and companies like Bechtel. That’s what will set a company apart as a competitor in the Great Resignation.

We are part of a network of nearly 1,800 United Ways in 41 countries and territories. But the place that needs you most is right here in Utah. When you partner with United Way, your donations and volunteer efforts stay local and directly benefit your community. 

Join businesses that give back. Visit https://uwnu.org/corporate-connection/ to start building employee commitment today.

Tim Jackson is president and CEO for United Way of Northern Utah. He is an alumnus of the University of Utah, where he earned his master’s degree in public administration. Actively involved in the community, Jackson has served nonprofit organizations in public policy, strategic planning, grant writing, program management and evaluation and budget/finance.