Running a small business requires dedication and time. But have you ever considered the benefits of community service? It may seem like one more thing to add, but research shows that helping your community can actually support your business goals. Serving your community helps boost your reputation, retain top talent, and create a more positive workplace. Keep reading to discover more about the power of giving back to your community.

Change How the Community Sees Your Business
Business owners start up because they want to solve a problem or fulfill a need in the community. However, once you’re up and running, making a profit often becomes the top priority. When this happens, members of the community may see you as someone who is just there to make a buck.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses and organizations stepped up to serve their community and live out their core values. Entrepreneur magazine reported that during the shutdown, After-School-All-Stars, a national nonprofit that runs after school programs, tuned into the needs of their local communities and started providing meals, distance learning, and mental health support for students and families. 

You don’t need an economic crisis to show up for your community. You can demonstrate your company’s values by volunteering as a group or sponsoring an event you believe in. One study found that a whopping 78% of consumers want businesses to take the lead on social issues. In other words, when you invest your time or money into important service opportunities customers take notice. When you give back, people see you as part of the community and are more likely to use your business. 

Hire and Retain Employees that Share Your Values 
If your business’s number one goal is profit, you will attract employees who feel the same way. Their loyalty will be limited to the next paycheck, and for the most part, they won't go above and beyond when you need it. However, when your company lives its core values within the community, retention rates will be higher, and you will attract skilled people who want to do more than simply show up. 

This strategy is especially important if you hire younger employees. Forbes reported that 83% of millennials said they would be more loyal to a company that contributed to social and environmental issues. They also found that Gen Z, the newest group to enter the workforce, expect their employer to have a purpose beyond profit. Gen Z job candidates even showed they are more likely to read mission statements and value documents. 

When you have a company culture that includes giving back, you can attract aspirational employees. These workers want to be connected to something bigger than themselves, and when your business gives them that opportunity, they find more than employment–they find fulfillment. 

Pick the Right Partners
Of course, when you choose to do community outreach, it needs to fit with your organization's core values and areas of expertise. To find opportunities that are right for you and your business, try some of the strategies listed below.

• What problems exist in my community today? Whether it’s supporting local schools or animal shelters, find a cause that aligns with your values. 
• Encourage employees to volunteer during work hours. Maybe it’s just one hour a month, but when employees can give back during work hours they don’t have to choose between serving and time off. 
• Create a custom plan for volunteering based on what matters to your employees. 
• Share about the time and investment your employees give on social media or your website. People love feel-good stories and this will help boost the perception of your business. 
  
  

The Bottom Line
Above all, be creative in your approach and choose projects that get you excited. Your enthusiasm will shine through and make your business memorable in the eyes of your community.

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce is a private non-profit membership organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as leadership, economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. ​

SUMMARY

• Employee dissatisfaction at work is often rooted in feeling overlooked, a lack of purpose, and limited creative freedom. Recognizing employees' daily efforts, understanding their 'love languages,' and fostering a sense of belonging can combat feelings of undervaluation.
• Making sure work feels meaningful and impactful for employees is critical, which can be achieved by establishing a shared vision and involving the workforce in strategic conversations, thus fostering a sense of shared purpose.
• Enabling employee autonomy and creative freedom has been shown to improve workplace satisfaction. Avoiding micromanagement, valuing employee input, and providing them with control over their roles and working conditions have been found to be effective measures.
  
  

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Fifty years ago, few people expected to find happiness at work. But as the saying goes, times have changed. Underneath all the reasons workers quit, unhappiness tops the list.

But what causes workers to become unhappy at work and what can employers do about it? 
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Employers hear a lot about compensation and benefits packages, yet research shows that modern workers want more from their employers. In fact, when it comes to greater workplace satisfaction, it’s the emotional side of work that ultimately keeps top talent fulfilled.

Here are three reasons great workers walk away, plus some aligned solutions to help you keep your best and brightest.
 
3 Reasons Great Employees Walk Away

#1 Feeling Overlooked 
Employees are human, and according to best selling author and researcher, Brené Brown, every person needs to feel worthiness and belonging. When workers are performing well and giving their best and still go unnoticed or unacknowledged, they don't feel valued. In turn, this lack of appreciation affects productivity and, worse, fuels resentment. 

As Debby Muno, managing director of Genos North America, told Fast Company, employees want to feel connected to their leader, their purpose and to their organization. Workers who feel seen, according to Muno, are “stronger collaborators and communicators, and are more engaged.” 

Organizations who focus on recognizing their employees’ daily efforts and big successes foster a positive team culture. Also, taking time to understand how employees want to be recognized means no one gets overlooked. In recent years, assessments like the Five Love Languages have expanded to understanding appreciation in the workplace. Knowing your employees ‘love language’ ensures they get noticed in a way that resonates with them. 

#2 A Lack of Purpose and Meaning 
Employees who find happiness at work share something in common. They feel like their work matters. Finding this connection may seem challenging at first – after all, your grandparents would probably chuckle at the notion of a shared purpose. But ignoring this aspect of workplace happiness comes with great risk, as some of the qualities that make up your best employees likely include an intrinsic desire to make a difference.

Leadership experts recommend organizations have a shared vision and include workers in the conversation. According to Harvard Business Review’s writers James M. Kouzes and Barry Posner, “The best way to lead people into the future is to connect with them deeply in the present. The only visions that take hold are shared visions—and you will create them only when you listen very, very closely to others, appreciate their hopes, and attend to their needs.”

# 3 Not Enough Choice or Creative Freedom 
Everyone wants to feel like they have control over their lives, and this desire includes time spent at work. Unfortunately, many leaders micromanage their employees, which leaves some of the smartest and hardest workers feeling stifled instead of satisfied. 

The good news is that talented employees often have great solutions for how to improve productivity, communication and workplace satisfaction. Organizations that value employee input and choose to incorporate their insights will create a workplace where people feel seen and valued at work. In a recent hybrid work study, researchers found that beyond flexibility workers want autonomy. In a present age where a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works, employers who give workers more control and input over their roles and optimal working conditions will win out over organizations who fail to tune in.
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The Rockford Chamber of Commerce is a private non-profit membership organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as leadership, economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. 

mployers know that employee disengagement spells trouble. In a time when organizations compete to retain employees, the impact of employee engagement matters more than ever. 

Unfortunately, many employers are playing catch up when it comes to workplace satisfaction. In a 2023 Gallup survey, only a third of workers described themselves as feeling engaged at work. And for those doing the math, that’s a whole lot of employees who are somewhere on the spectrum between passively showing up to actively ‘quiet quitting.’

Barnaby Lashbrook, the CEO of the virtual assistant company Time, Etc., recently wrote an article in Fortune magazine, where he revealed the results of a bold work experiment: replacing all of their company managers with coaches. 

What Employees Want 
What’s driving the low worker satisfaction numbers? The global pandemic did not exactly make unhappy employees. Instead, the unique work, health and family pressures elevated how many workers have been feeling for a long time. In a 2021 report from McKinsey, the reasons employees give for dissatisfaction include not feeling valued by their organization and not feeling a sense of belonging at work. 

These findings got Lashbrook thinking. He and his team asked employees what they needed from their managers, and soon found that their answers painted a very different picture of management. According to Lashbrook, workers wanted help with “goal-setting, feedback, personal and professional development opportunities, and autonomy.” These themes sparked his initial insight: employees wanted more opportunities to grow and develop. 

The Coach Approach 
At Time, Etc. the coach/employee ratio is one coach per six employees. Lashbrook describes the coach’s role as similar to a manager–they’re still the one who handles challenges. However, instead of simply managing productivity and pushing workers to achieve, coaches mentor, provide feedback and encouragement and ensure they have adequate training and support along the way. 

By emphasizing self-improvement, Lashbrook has found a way to imbed professional development into company expectations. Workers receive an allowance to take courses on Udemy and coaches provide reading recommendations from their self-growth library. 

When Workplace Satisfaction Becomes Workplace Culture 
The coaches are not the beginning and end of personal and professional development at Time, Etc. The leadership team also runs regular workshops and outside experts who teach on relevant topics from mindfulness to employee confidence. 

Since innovating their management approach, Lashbrook reports a 20% increase in employee engagement, using the same standards from the Gallup survey that initially inspired him. Their company has also been recognized in the top 1% of teams worldwide since making these internal changes. 

Beyond the statistics, Lashbrook saw the results of increased workplace satisfaction in real time. Instead of growing employee turnover and major losses due to the Great Resignation, they were able to keep their best workers and organically reduce the number of days their staff was taking–a huge win for the company and for the employees who began finding more value in their jobs.

Expect a Few Growing Pains But Know They’re Worth It 
Like any major change, the switch from manager to coach came with a few growing pains. At first, coaches struggled with how to implement boundaries outside of the traditional manager roles. Also, the skills required to coach versus lead are sophisticated, and the company’s coaches needed more tools and training to do the job well. 

Despite these challenges, Lashbrook says that returning to the old way of doing things is not an option. “The gains have been so significant that there’s no going back for us.” 

​How is YOUR organization engaging your employees? Share your favorite engagement strategies on our Facebook page. 

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce is a private non-profit membership organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as leadership, economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. ​

By: Emily Klonicki, Executive Director - Alignment Rockford & Caitlin Pusateri, President - Rockford Chamber of Commerce

These tough COVID years have highlighted how the lack of child care availability and affordability impact hiring, retention, and productivity. Businesses can’t thrive without productive employees, and parents can’t maintain or succeed in their jobs without a robust early childhood system to care for their children while they are at work.
 
This relates directly to what we at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce continually hear from our members, that there is one specific issue keeping them up at night: workforce. Whether it be retaining their current talent or attracting new, skilled talent, workforce remains a top concern for the business community. The problem is both immediate – a need for workers NOW – as well as long-term – the need for workers to fill gaps left by retiring Baby Boomers or to grow the business. While the workforce issue is multi-faceted, one driving culprit is the lack of access to affordable, reliable child care, forcing professionals into stressful, missed days of work or, even worse, an undesired exit from the workforce entirely.
 
Viewed on a macro scale, the economic implications of the child care crisis are staggering. Infant-toddler child care challenges drain an estimated $4.9 billion from Illinois’ economy every year, according to a new report from ReadyNation. Nationally, the price tag of infant-toddler child care insufficiencies total $122 billion. These numbers are more than double what they were in 2018 and reflect only the limitations of care for children younger than age 3.
 
But child care is more than just a solution for today’s workforce. It is also important to invest in high-quality early childhood education to develop the workforce of tomorrow. A highly skilled workforce of the future begins to acquire needed skills in early childhood. Both technical (or academic) skills and soft (or executive-functioning) skills that employers seek - like persistence, cooperation, and interpersonal skills - have their roots in early childhood, when high-quality programming can best set children up for success in school, careers and life.
 
Zeroing-in on these issues, Alignment Rockford serves as the convener of the early childhood coalition, Ready to Learn in Rockford. In our work with families, service providers, and other organizations in the Rockford Area, we encounter ongoing need for high-quality child care options as well as other support for parents and primary caregivers of children under the age of 5. These supports may come in the form of child care assistance subsidies from the state or from employer benefits like increased paid leave for working parents, flexible scheduling, or remote work options. The investment in care and education of young children and in the well-being of their families has great community return, as children who enter kindergarten ready to learn are much more likely to succeed academically and have greater employment opportunities, higher earning power, and better lifelong outcomes. The early childhood crisis facing our community is hardly unique to Rockford; however, we as a community can choose to take action and change the course of our future by addressing these needs in a meaningful and coordinated way.
  
As the President of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of Alignment Rockford, we see the needs of the youngest members of our community, the need to support parents of young children, and the ways in which business leaders can be involved. This is why we are members of ReadyNation network of business executives and why we encourage Rockford employers to join us in supporting solutions to the child care crisis. The ongoing work at the local level is vital, but we must also call on policymakers at the state and federal levels to invest in early care and education. Governor Pritzker’s proposal to invest in the early childhood system gives us hope that the state is moving in the right direction.  Helping to strengthen our workforce and economy — for today and tomorrow, alike — is truly everyone’s job.