Business forum: By giving, companies receive so very much

From the likes of Winston Churchill, who said: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give," to St. Francis of Assisi's "for it is in giving that we receive," sharing one's time or treasure benefits the giver perhaps more than the recipient.

As the holidays approach, many individuals and businesses make an effort to do something charitable to help others less fortunate. In part, it's because we can. Just being in our country makes us part of an elite world class -- with less than 5 percent of the world's population, America controls more than 30 percent of the wealth.

If you're a business owner or manager, you may think philanthropy is "nice" but may see it as a drain on your resources. As a business owner myself, I can testify firsthand to the tension that can exist between "making the numbers" and living our corporate values. But I've also learned that creating a culture of "giving back" in my company has generated many tangible results that even the most cynical Scrooge could appreciate.

During the past four years, the foundation started and run by my company has received more than $130,000 worth of donations from my firm. The Intertech Foundation has helped to fly sick children home to spend their remaining precious days with family when it became clear that medical treatment in other cities or states was not working. Grants have helped others to retrofit their homes to make them accessible for children in wheelchairs or with other special needs. We've also helped parents make mortgage payments so they could take time away from work to be with their kids while going through treatment at the local Ronald McDonald House.

While our grants do not rival the generosity of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or even some of the local, long-established foundations, they do represent our attempt to make a difference in our community.

My wife and I decided to launch the Intertech Foundation because we have been extraordinarily blessed. While we don't have children of our own, we couldn't imagine the pain of having a terminally ill child. Knowing our grants make life somewhat more manageable during such sorrowful times is gratifying. What we didn't anticipate, however, were the benefits to our company and employees.

Our employees serve on the foundation's grant committee. They approve grants for families in need and for the local Ronald McDonald House. Whether it's approving a grant to help out the family of a sick child or donating their time at the local Ronald McDonald House, volunteering puts problems in perspective. In addition to perspective, the foundation has been a useful management tool, in a roundabout way.

Part of our business is consulting. While time entry is required for us to generate an invoice, ask any consultant which part of their job they don't like and they'll say time entry. We've "encouraged" on-time time entry by having part of an employee's year-end bonus "donated" to the foundation when time-entry deadlines are missed.

These bonus reductions do not enrich the company's bottom line because they are donated to the foundation's endowment.

Like many organizations, we recognize and reward what we value: revenue generation, thought leadership, mentoring and volunteering.

Participating in our company's philanthropic efforts gives our people a chance to demonstrate their commitment to an important company value. It also provides younger or newer employees with the chance to get to know senior leaders on an informal basis. But whether it's a new employee or a seasoned leader, serving on the grant committee is perceived as an honor and a privilege -- and it is.

If the Scrooges among us are still questioning what's "in it for business," the most compelling bottom-line reason for giving back can be found on the Facebook pages of our Generation Y employees. These are people for whom life balance is not something nice, it's a given.

They're happy to walk away, to simply "reboot" their situation, when they're not happy. Providing younger employees with a way to feel good about themselves and their place in the community not only benefits them and the people being served, it benefits their employers.

The bottom line is that giving back provides rewards way beyond the ledger. Don't wait for the ghost of Marley to show up at midnight to tell you so.