Lauren Dordal's job at marketing agency Periscope is evidence of how integrated "community giving" or "engagement" has become with the workplace experience.
The days of companies fulfilling their community mission solely by participating in United Way are long gone. In fact, the United Way, a research organization and umbrella group for a diverse range of recommended charities, also has become far more decentralized in its approach, for example letting donors designate their preferred charities and staging events that connect employees with causes.
Dordal is Periscope's "employee engagement advocate," supporting workers in various ways as they work with clients, and also planning creative and fun events for Periscope's 500 workers. Dordal also helps workers connect and build relationships with employee-selected charities to support with time and donations.
Some of the relationships have evolved into long-standing commitments such as helping to stage the annual Children's Hospital Gala, as well as managing long-term relationships and providing pro bono marketing services and fundraisers for the likes of TreeHouse, the youth-and-family nonprofit.
Dordal was already working with Periscope employees to support their work with clients and also arranging staff mentoring, learning, seminars and social experiences. About a year ago, she added employee volunteer engagement to her duties.
"My client is the employees," Dordal said. "We're working behind the curtain so that our employees can do their best."
Her job might entail working on a charitable account or it might mean arranging an ice cream social to introduce employees to a new charitable partner, a pro bono project or to solicit help with projects like the gala.
Periscope doesn't run a United Way campaign. However, its employees contribute about $1.25 million in cash and in-kind contributions annually to formal nonprofit partners. And that doesn't count the employee donations of time and treasure to other nonprofits they support personally.
