Andy Howell
CEO, Uncommon Giving
Gen Z is reshaping the modern workforce, bringing new ideas and energy that employers can’t afford to ignore. This extends to corporate volunteering programs—companies see lower turnover among new employees who participate in volunteerism, so engaging the younger generation in these programs is critical.
But Gen Z has different expectations, especially around corporate transparency. If you’re not tracking your volunteer impact effectively, they won’t fully trust it. Let’s break down why.
Gen Z is Motivated by Purpose
This generation of workers expects more than competitive salaries and office perks. ACCP research found that 74% of Gen Z workers rank purpose ahead of a paycheck. Additionally, a recent Deloitte survey reported that:
- 89% of Gen Zers say purpose is important to job satisfaction and well-being.
- 54% of Gen Z employees say meaningful work is very important.
- Of those who say their work aligns with their values, 52% are happy.
- When their companies don’t align with their values, only 31% say they’re happy.
Clearly, purpose is what drives Gen Z, so employers must help them give back to society in meaningful ways if they want them to stick around.
Company-sponsored employee giving and volunteering programs are great ways to provide that sense of purpose ifyou can convince them to participate.
Younger Generations Expect Transparent Results
46% of Gen Zers prioritize transparency in the workplace. They want business leaders to be honest about salaries, expectations, results, and the impact their companies have on the world. In an age when misinformation is rampant and AI-generated content is becoming increasingly hard to identify, it’s easy to see why Gen Z doesn’t trust easily.
To earn their trust and inspire participation in volunteer programs, you have to demonstrate your company’s accountability by sharing detailed results. What did that team-wide volunteer day accomplish? What initiatives did your volunteer grants fund? Did their efforts actually better the community in a meaningful way?
Tracking Hours Is Not the Same as Measuring Impact
It’s important to note that what Gen Zs don’t want is a blanket statement like “200 hours volunteered.” Uncommon Giving explains that holistic social impact measurement involves data collection, analysis, and storytelling to authentically evaluate how your company’s actions affect community and environmental well-being.
While most companies track volunteering participation, far fewer measure outcomes. Remember, Gen Z grew up in a world of dashboards and real-time metrics. They track their steps, spending, and screen time, and they expect companies to track impact the same way.
Go beyond basic volunteerism metrics such as participation rates and total volunteer hours. Get information directly from the nonprofits you help and consider using a strategic impact framework to understand your programs’ effects more broadly. Then, you can communicate more honest, detailed results to younger employees that convince them of the program’s value.
How to Track Volunteerism & Engage Gen Z Employees
Tracking corporate volunteerism will look different depending on the types of volunteering programs and opportunities you offer. It may be easy for skills-based volunteers to see the fruits of their labor, while the impact of Dollars for Doers grants is harder to understand.
That’s where corporate volunteering software comes in. The right solution makes it easy to:
- Log volunteer hours in real time.
- Connect participation to measurable nonprofit impact.
- Generate instant corporate giving and volunteering reports.
- Visualize trends across departments.
- Celebrate employee contributions automatically.
- Recognize top contributors on the team.
Ultimately, you want to show employees how many lives were impacted by their contributions and where donations went. Communicate with your nonprofit partners often and share their reports with employees frequently and transparently.
Offering corporate volunteerism programs shows a commitment to Gen Z’s ideas about purpose and meaningful societal contributions, but tracking proves it. Companies that invest in both engaging CSR programs and strategic impact measurement will attract Gen Z talent and build a workplace culture where they want to stay.
