Calgary’s business community is dedicated to creating social impact

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From the Great Resignation to the wave of “quiet quitters,” the COVID-19 pandemic has left a significant portion of the workforce desiring more from their nine-to-fives.

The past two years have revealed the fragility of life and time, says Melanie Peacock, an associate professor of human resources at Mount Royal University. “(Employees are) wondering if they want to work for an organization that’s more than just work,” Peacock says.

These existential questions have spurred many people to reconsider their deeper goals in life — and if their current job allows them to leave a social impact beyond the company’s bottom line.

In a 2022 Gartner survey, for example, 65 per cent of respondents said that the pandemic has made them reconsider the role work has in their lives. Another 56 per cent said that the pandemic has made them want to contribute more to society.

“This was even before the pandemic, I would argue,” Peacock says. Research has long drawn connections between an employer’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and employee satisfaction and retention.

One organization that continues to create opportunities for Calgary’s business community to make a real social impact is United Way of Calgary and Area. Six hundred workplaces across the city participate in United Way fundraising and volunteer initiatives, through workplace giving campaigns and the Employee Accelerator program, where employees are temporarily seconded to United Way to gain new skills while supporting the non-profit’s operations. Some organizations have been involved for more than 30 years.

Karen Young, the president and CEO of United Way of Calgary and Area, has seen a significant push to highlight the importance of individual and corporate investment in community as well as corporate volunteerism in recent years.

“As conveners, we are partnering in a very meaningful way with companies to align their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals with the needs of our local community. This means we can leverage funding to make an even greater impact on issues that matter,” says Young. “What we’re seeing more and more is that employees and companies want to have that greater line of sight to where those investments are going. They want to have a more purposeful connection.”

Peacock shares this view, adding that a company’s positioning towards social impact can positively benefit their impression on potential clients and new recruits.

“It’s important to think about potential employees and the brand your organization is creating as an employer,” she says. “When you value different social aspects, that’s the kind of organization people want to do business with.”

Everything from the charitable initiatives a team undertakes to the way large brands respond to current events can enhance the morale of employees.

“You feel some pride in it, too, and not just with your customers. Your friends know, your family knows. There’s some cache that goes with that,” Peacock says.

Jana Mosley has seen these results first-hand in her role as the president of ENMAX Power. The utility company’s employees are encouraged to participate in a corporate volunteer program and donation-matching initiatives.

ENMAX has been a big supporter of United Way for over 22 years and has invested more than $8 million in that time.

Mosley says creating meaningful opportunities for employees to give back has not only helped attract and retain high-performing employees but has strengthened bonds within the organization as well.

“By working toward a common goal, setting targets and participating in volunteer initiatives, you create a sense of belonging and connection,” she says.

Workplace initiatives, including fundraising and volunteering, have played a vital role in enabling the United Way of Calgary and Area to support 113 local agencies, and engage in a diverse range of initiatives under four focus areas: socio-economic wellbeing, mental health, healthy relationships, and social inclusion.

Through seeing the real-world impact of United Way’s work, Young knows that incredible social change — in more ways than one — is possible when people are given the opportunity to help.

“When people are feeling engaged in the workforce as part of something bigger, something that matters — it’s almost magical.”

Simply put, working for a place that does good feels good — and when an organization addresses social issues, it signals that they’re engaged with the real world outside the office walls. Most importantly, Peacock says, it demonstrates a value in human beings beyond mere worker-units.

“People will feel good about working for a company that aligns with their values,” Peacock says. “Does your organization understand things like Black Lives matter, #MeToo, climate change, gender equality? What are they doing with that? Or are they ignoring it?”

More than 160,000 children in Alberta live in poverty, and one-in-three Calgarians say they struggle to afford basic needs like rent and utilities. United Way’s fall campaign is focused on bringing awareness and raising funds to support local issues, particularly around the socioeconomic wellbeing and mental health of Calgarians.

To learn about how your organization can build a better tomorrow for Calgary, visit calgaryunitedway.org.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of United Way of Calgary and Area.