08/02/2018
Being stewards of our community is a cornerstone of our company vision. In an effort to demonstrate our service-oriented approach to our new hires, Sendero’s internal philanthropic committee, Sendero Cares, has been organizing a New Hire Volunteer Event since the summer of 2016. Our entry-level start groups use two hours of their Paid Volunteer Time Off during onboarding to volunteer with one of the non-profits that Sendero has previously supported. By taking a few hours out of their work day to volunteer with Sendero, our new hires are able to experience the positive impact they can make in the community and spend time together as a team.
June New Hires & Summer Interns | Community Partners of Dallas (cpdtx.org)
Project: Packing supplies and backpacks to be distributed to abused and neglected children served by Dallas County Child Protective Services
July New Hires | Hunger Busters (hungerbusters.com)
Project: Assembling sandwiches and packing lunch bags to be distributed to elementary students who depend on subsidized school meals for all their sustenance
Where have New Hires & Interns gone in the past?
The Family Place, North Texas Food Bank, and Vogel Alcove to name a few.
Is this tradition part of a larger initiative?
The New Hire Volunteer Events are a product of Sendero’s core values and overall culture. We believe in supporting our employees beyond the office walls, which includes championing their own philanthropic passions. Unlike most firms, we do not select our community partners or events based on marketing initiatives or strategic alliances – we instead follow an employee-led approach, allowing Senderoans to bring forth short-term opportunities or long-term community partnerships to the table, based on their own non-profit involvement. Sendero Cares then bolsters company-wide awareness through internal communication support and sponsorship coordination, which includes a matching program.
Why should my organization consider doing something similar?
If community engagement is one your company’s values, a program like this is a great way to demonstrate these values of stewardship and volunteer work early in every incoming employee’s career. It also allows for team-bonding and gives new hires the opportunity to get to know each other in a more informal environment than your typical on-boarding sessions. We’ve also seen these events introduce employees to local organizations that they eventually form long-term relationships with – especially for new hires who have recently moved to the area and are looking for ways to get involved in their new city.
Not sure where to begin?
You can start by simply asking your current employees about the various organizations they are already involved in. Your eventual community partnerships will only be strengthened by existing relationships and you may be surprised to find how plugged in your team already is – and how quickly your new hires start to feel part of that team.
We believe in supporting our employees beyond the office walls, which includes championing their own philanthropic passions.