Small businesses play a massive role in our community. They provide well-paying jobs, bring colour to our main streets, and add the personality that makes our province such a wonderful place to visit. Entrepreneurs uplift the communities they serve, and those communities return the love in so many ways. As we approach the season of giving, your business has a unique opportunity to help your community. From employee volunteering to charity donations, and so much more, here are five ways your business can give back to your community this holiday season – and how it might even help your business grow.
1. Donate to Charity
Charitable acts, like donating, are performed without expecting a direct gain. But, that doesn’t mean your company won’t receive indirect benefits. Several studies have highlighted that younger generations prefer doing business with companies that match their values. In fact, almost seven in ten Canadian Millennials actively consider company values when making a purchase. Donating to a charitable cause not only improves the health of your community, it also gains more respect from your employees, customers, and stakeholders.
2. Volunteer for a Good Cause
Granting your staff time off to engage in charitable work is a win-win situation. It’s good for your community, it’s been shown to boost employee mental health, and it even serves to boost your team’s leadership skills. Around this time of year, there are so many meaningful ways to volunteer. Toy and food drives for families, Christmas Tree donations, and even carol singing for the more extroverted.
3. Get Involved in Your Community
Jay Valeri and Lydnsey Bell of Bigfoot Donuts, have been actively involved with their community, taking on a leadership role in their local BIA, sponsoring local sports teams, and helping local beautification efforts in the Comox Valley. All it takes is curiosity and a willingness to pitch in to make a lasting, positive impact on the community you serve. Your customers will appreciate it and will pay your business back in kind.
4. Reward Your Employees
Giving back this Holiday season isn’t just isolated to your community. Making your employees feel valued will lead to a happier and more engaged team. It will also serve to boost your staff retention. Here are several ideas for how to achieve this:
- Holiday bonus
- Staff party
- Additional time off over the Holidays
- Personalized gifts
A small gesture of thanks like this can go so far in making your team feel appreciated this holiday season.
5. Offer Digital Donation Options
So far, we’ve touched on some ways entrepreneurs can give back through their businesses. But, we understand that some businesses don’t have the budget to act on some of these ideas. That doesn’t mean you can’t give back this holiday season. For example, consider acting as a facilitator for a good cause by asking customers at the point of sale if they’d be interested in making a small donation to a charity.
Prepare for the Holidays with SBBC
Is your business ready to make the most of the busy holiday sales period? Check out our Holiday Prep page for resources, tips, and advice to help you succeed.
Small Business BC is Here to Help
SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars, on-demand E-Learning Education, our Talk to an Expert Advisories, or browse our business articles.
