On September 30, Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus was the proud sponsor and host of The Friends of Stevens Creek Trailblazer Race for the 10th straight year. The 2012 race was exceptionally rewarding for us because we found even more ways to actively give. Volunteer coordinator Dan Costello and his team more than tripled Microsoft employee registrations compared with last year.
We sat down with Dan to discuss his thoughts on how to motivate employees and team members to rally around a cause – to not only reach into their pockets, but to get out and do something to make a difference.
- Show them it matters. Dan and another of our all-star giving advocates, Susan Catan, canvassed the campus for two days, recruiting registrants. Encouraging participation with live and familiar faces as opposed to solely email – plus offering a discount to on-campus registrants – helped dramatically improve this year’s registration numbers. We also reinforced our commitment by following up with registrants to make sure they had all questions answered before the event.
- Plan to promote. Get the word out through every company communications channel possible and get in front of those deadlines. Find out your company’s newsletter schedule and be sure your event information is submitted on time, place posters, and send company-wide emails to remind and recruit.
- Call on the village. Dan says that in 2013 he plans to get more people involved in the front-end of volunteer coordination. First, form an employee citizenship group to enlist others in the company to inspire the broader team and delegate tasks. Second, work directly with administrative staff to communicate and build upon the power they have to motivate those around them.
“It’s wonderful to offer money, but if you don’t get the hands and feet of your company involved, the contribution isn’t sustainable,” says Costello. “When a corporate sponsor acts as an active citizen, it models what we want from our employees and our community – giving by doing.”
