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As employees continue to seek purpose-driven companies, corporations face growing pressure to create meaningful engagement programs that align with business goals and employee passions – all while driving social impact. One of the most effective ways to meet these goals is through stakeholder engagement, a critical component of your overall employee engagement strategy. By incorporating diverse perspectives into your strategy design, companies can design programs that not only meet stakeholder expectations, but also foster a culture of giving, volunteerism, and impact.

Last fall, we facilitated a Learning Lab at the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals Annual Conference in San Diego, titled “Better Together: A Stakeholder-Driven Approach to Designing a Corporate Volunteer Program.” This session explored how to leverage stakeholder engagement to create meaningful, sustainable, and impactful volunteer programs.

By involving stakeholders in the design of their employee volunteer programs, companies can:

• Identify pressing community needs: Gain insights into the most pressing issues facing local communities.
• Ensure program relevance: Align programs with the interests and values of employees.
• Build buy-in and support: Foster a sense of ownership and commitment among all involved.
• Maximize program effectiveness: Create programs that are accessible, implementable, and sustainable.

Drawing on insights from this session, we share below some practical tips and strategies to help you use stakeholder engagement to design impactful and effective employee engagement programs more generally – from volunteering, to employee giving, and beyond.

Step 1: Identifying Key Stakeholders

When shaping your initiatives, the first step is identifying who should be involved. While there may be a number of individuals eager to offer their input, prioritize those whose input is crucial to the program’s success. For employee engagement programs, this will depend on your organization’s overarching goals and the program’s current stage. For example, early-stage programs may require senior leadership buy-in, while established programs may benefit from employee feedback. Focus on two critical factors when identifying your stakeholders:

• Diverse Perspectives: Include representatives from various viewpoints – those who can speak to business objectives, social needs, and employee preferences. Balancing these perspectives ensures your program will meet community needs while aligning with business goals and employee interests.
• Essential Buy-in: Include stakeholders with influence over key resources, such as senior leadership (e.g., your CFO who may control the budget), marketing and communications teams (who will oversee program messaging), and department managers (who can influence employee participation).

A balanced mix of both internal and external stakeholders is important, as external factors like community needs can influence internal decisions.

Step 2: Engaging Your Stakeholders

Once you’ve identified your key stakeholders, you can select the best tactics for engaging them. A major goal is to find areas of alignment – where the needs of your stakeholders and your program objectives intersect. Consider these approaches:

• Interviews: Perfect for in-depth discussions with senior leadership or subject matter experts, interviews offer a valuable opportunity to explore diverse perspectives and gain deeper insights.
• Surveys: When you’re seeking input from a larger group, surveys are a great tool for gathering and analyzing data on straightforward or high-level topics, such as motivations for participation or preferences for engagement opportunities.
• Focus Groups:  For more targeted insights, focus groups bring together representatives from specific stakeholder groups to explore themes that may have emerged from previous interviews or surveys.

By tailoring your engagement methods and choosing the right communications channels, you can garner great ideas and build the strong connections that are essential to your program’s success.

Step 3: Fostering Ongoing Engagement

Effective stakeholder engagement is an ongoing process, not a one-and-done activity. To sustain involvement and support, provide regular opportunities for feedback and participation. Some successful methods for fostering ongoing engagement include:

• Establish governance structures: Create formal mechanisms for stakeholder input and decision-making, such as advisory boards or committees.
• Build feedback loops: Regularly gather stakeholder feedback through surveys, interviews, or focus groups to address their concerns.
• Share best practices: Organize knowledge-sharing sessions or forums where stakeholders can learn from each other and share success stories.
• Recognize your stakeholders: Thank them for their input, recognize them for their participation, and give credit where credit is due.

Equally important is reporting back to your stakeholders on the outcomes of your programs. Transparency not only builds trust but also fosters continued support. Here’s what to keep in mind when creating a reporting plan:

• Define your goals and objectives: Identify desired outcomes and tailor your reporting to align with stakeholder needs.
• Choose appropriate formats: Consider various formats, such as written reports, presentations, or interactive dashboards, to ensure effective communication.
• Capture both qualitative and quantitative data: Present information in a clear and engaging way, using charts, graphs, and stories to highlight your program’s impact.

Successful stakeholder engagement requires dedicated time and effort. Prioritize building trust and strong relationships with your stakeholders by being a good listener and addressing their concerns. Set clear objectives to guide your discussions and ensure everyone is aligned. And remember, stakeholder engagement is an ongoing process—continuously monitor your strategies and adapt as needed to foster meaningful connections that keep your employees engaged and your initiatives moving forward.

Authors

Leah Brody & Brady Press
Changing Our World