HR Vendor Awards
Best HR Vendor (Wellness)
HandsOn Hong Kong
Service activities that empower teams to give their time and talent to make a difference in the community and connect to one another
HandsOn helps companies engage with their employees in a more meaningful way by creating service activities that empower teams to give their time and talent to make a difference in the community and connect to one another. The programmes help meet three core goals:
- Connection: when employees have felt disconnected due to remote working and social distancing, HandsOn offers programmes that instil a sense of connection—to the community and one another.
- Engagement: the HandsOn team develops programmes to run in-person, or virtually that engage employees to learn about their community, try new experiences, stretch themselves beyond their day job, and have fun at the same time. These shared experiences among teams create a positive impact on the world. They also help break down silos within organisations and bind them together with a sense of collective achievement.
- Ease: HR leaders count on HandsOn to develop innovative, well-managed programmes and provide a meaningful experience for their employee volunteers. The team of professionals is experienced running programs, but they also conduct regular needs assessments with 100+ charity partners, keeping their finger on the pulse and ensuring that each programme run addresses specific needs in the community.
Community engagement provides companies with the opportunity to demonstrate their values, engage their employees and contribute towards a more inclusive society and sustainable future. HandsOn believes that doing well in business and doing good for the community are not mutually exclusive goals. Companies that successfully integrate business goals with responsible Environmental, Social and Governance (EST) practices are often more profitable, sustainable and resilient.
Engaging employees in social impact programmes is also closely connected to a company's ability to attract and retain talent—a critical factor in ESG scoring and indicator of a company's long-term financial health. According to research by PwC, 88% of millennials gravitate towards companies with strong CSR programmes, and 86% would consider leaving if their employer's programmes no longer met their expectations.
A 2018 study by corporate giving software company, Benevity, looked at more than two million users worldwide across 118 enterprise companies to study the link between participation in company purpose initiatives and employee retention. They found that turnover was reduced by an average of 57% for employees who were actively engaged in their company's giving and volunteering efforts.
Closer to home, Hong Kong-focused research conducted by Nielsen in 2018 (pro bono work for HandsOn) found that 83% of respondents said volunteering improves their mental health and well-being, while 82% said it makes them feel more empowered. In addition, 86% agreed that company-sponsored volunteering activities help bind teams together, and 80% replied that it boosts their sense of belonging. HandsOn's own research in 2020 with volunteers showed that beyond wishing to help the community, the number two reason for serving was to support the volunteer’s own well-being.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
