Melissa Denbow
Updated: October 5, 2022
How To
Create a workplace culture that encourages engagement with nonprofits
By Melissa Denbow
At Machias Savings Bank, our vision is to build relationships that move Maine forward, and we know that the best way to do that is by working together to say yes to Maine’s future. As a purpose-driven organization, we are focused on creating thriving communities, helping our neighbors prosper, and improving Maine’s financial health. Our employees act as stewards of our brand through their dedication to community engagement, and we’re proud to encourage their participation through a number of internal programs designed to support volunteerism among our employees.
Like with so many things in life, sometimes the hardest part of volunteering with a local organization is just getting started. To help provide that initial incentive, we pay our employees for up to 20 hours of volunteer time, for their community in areas they are passionate. Spending that initial time working with an organization is often enough for them to realize it’s really something they enjoy and would like to continue doing.
We also have a program that we call “Dollars for Doers,” which allows us to reward employees who are dedicated volunteers with local nonprofits. When an employee gives 40 hours of volunteer time with any organization, we supply them with a high-quality branded item of clothing. If their time goes beyond 40 hours in one organization, we will also donate $200 to the organization in the employee’s honor.
For employees that dedicate their time to joining a nonprofit board of directors, we donate $200 to that organization in their honor as part of our “Leveraging Leaders” programming.
In addition to recognizing volunteer hours given, we also support employees that make financial contributions to worthy causes. We offer donation matching so that when our employees donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice, we’ll match that donation up to $100 per employee annually.
Through our “Help from the Heart” program, employees can choose to have $4 from each paycheck reserved to donate to the cause of their choice. The recipient is entirely up to the employees and the funds can be donated to anything from a charity of their choice to a neighbor in need.
We aim to keep the community focus top of mind and at the heart of each decision we make as an organization. This ranges from simple things like providing all employees with a “community” T-shirt that serves as a reminder of our mission to listening to the needs of our communities and which organizations our employees feel strongly about supporting when we’re assessing available donations and opportunities to provide funds. Employees are recognized for their outstanding dedication to our communities, and we’re always happy to present our annual Edward L. Hennessey “Volunteer of the Year” award to an employee that has gone above and beyond.
By offering these programs to our employees, we were able to reach 100% employee participation in community volunteerism in 2019. Through the pandemic, we have maintained 80% engagement, still significantly higher than the national average of 35% [Boston College on Corporate Citizenship]. Building a thriving and prosperous community comes thru community partnerships created by our employees and is embedded in our values. We want our employees to be “beacons of hope” who are making a difference in the lives of our neighbors and in turn our communities.
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