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The Benefits of Employee Engagement Through Social Exchange Theory

Employee engagement is a key factor in keeping employees motivated and productive. One model that has been used to explain employee engagement is social exchange theory, which focuses on the dynamics of an employee-employer relationship. This theory is based on the idea that employees are motivated by the rewards they receive in return for their work, and this motivation is what drives engagement. Let’s explore how social exchange theory can be used to foster employee engagement.

Understanding Social Exchange Theory
Social exchange theory states that individuals engage in relationships where they expect to receive something in return for their contributions. This could be tangible rewards such as money or promotions, or intangible rewards such as recognition or respect. The amount of effort and commitment an individual will put into a relationship depends on how satisfied they are with what they are receiving from it. If an individual feels like they are not being adequately rewarded, then the likelihood of their continued involvement decreases significantly.

How to Implement Social Exchange Theory
The key to using social exchange theory to increase employee engagement is understanding what motivates your team members and providing them with adequate rewards for their hard work and dedication. A great way to do this is through recognition programs that reward employees for meeting goals or going above and beyond in their duties. You can also create opportunities for employees to connect with each other and build relationships, which helps foster a sense of community within your organization. By showing appreciation for your team’s efforts, you can create an environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated, resulting in greater loyalty, productivity, and engagement overall.

The Role of Leaders
Leaders play an important role in implementing social exchange theory within organizations. They need to be able to recognize when employees feel undervalued or unappreciated so that they can take steps to address those issues accordingly. Leaders should also be willing to listen to feedback from their teams so that they can make necessary changes if needed. Additionally, leaders should strive to provide clear expectations so that employees know exactly what is expected of them and how they will be rewarded for meeting those expectations. By creating a supportive environment where everyone’s needs are taken into consideration, leaders can ensure more effective implementation of social exchange theory within their organization.

Social exchange theory provides us with valuable insights into how we can foster better employee engagement within our organizations by understanding what motivates our team members and rewarding them appropriately for the work they do. Leaders have the power to create a supportive work environment where everyone feels respected and appreciated by taking steps such as implementing recognition programs, building relationships among staff members, listening to feedback from their teams, and providing clear expectations for performance outcomes. When these steps are taken correctly, organizations can see significant improvements in morale as well as increased productivity among staff members over time—all thanks to social exchange theory!

How Corporate Social Responsibility Can Help Your SMB Grow

In the age of corporate transparency, businesses of all sizes are recognizing the potential of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to help them grow. Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are now looking to CSR initiatives as a way to boost their bottom line, while also contributing to society in meaningful ways. Let’s take a look at how CSR can help your SMB become more successful.

How CSR Helps Your Business Grow
One of the main benefits of CSR is that it can build trust with consumers. When customers see that your company is taking steps to improve its environmental and social impact, they will be more likely to view your business favorably. This can lead to increased customer loyalty, which can result in increased sales and repeat business. Additionally, having a strong CSR program in place can make your business stand out from competitors who are not taking similar steps in their operations or initiatives.

The implementation of a CSR strategy has been shown to have positive effects on employee morale as well. When employees know that their employer takes an active interest in making the world a better place, they feel more connected and invested in the success of the company. This sense of belonging and pride can lead to improved job satisfaction, which often leads to greater productivity and creativity on the job.

Finally, many companies are now turning to CSR initiatives as part of their marketing efforts. By engaging in activities such as volunteering or donating money or goods to causes related to their industry or mission statement, companies can increase brand awareness while also demonstrating their commitment to helping others. A strong online presence is essential for any business today, but having a reputation for being socially responsible will add another layer of credibility and visibility for your business both online and off.

It’s clear that engaging in corporate social responsibility has many benefits for SMBs looking for ways to increase their revenue streams while also making an impact on society at large. From building trust with customers and improving employee morale, to increasing brand awareness through marketing efforts—CSR initiatives provide tangible benefits that any size business should consider taking advantage of when planning for future growth.

Repeal Pittsburgh’s Historic Preservation Law

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the poster child for why many people hate historic preservation. Enacted in 1971 and amended several times, the law created a clunky, confusing, and biased process for designating and regulating historic landmarks and districts. Over its 51-year history, at least two Historic Review Commission chairpersons have resigned because of procedural irregularities.
Repeal Pittsburgh’s Historic Preservation Law

8 Ways Diverse Companies are Winning

Learn why companies with diverse leadership are performing better than their less diverse counterparts.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace have become increasingly important as societal issues, including racial and cultural bias and racism, have been thrust into the forefront of the media. Insert a global pandemic into the mix, and diversity, equity, and inclusion matter now more than ever. The spotlight has been placed on leadership teams around the world proving to be one of the greatest tests of their ability, efficiency, and transparency. Not only must leaders act in the manner that best accommodates their employees and customers in a health crisis, they must strategize how to circumvent operational disruption. With a shifting in priorities, it is crucial that diversity, equity, and inclusion do not take a back seat as these components are actually factors in how leaders respond to these unprecedented circumstances.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

While each of the terms have their own respective definitions, together they represent a concept focused on fairness in the workplace, in education, and in the market.

The term Diversity encompasses the ways in which people or groups differ from one another, the differences that make them unique. Diversity is not limited to race, culture, and ethnicity. It also includes the items you may be used to seeing when asked to complete demographic information. These demographic items include age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, marital status, and often times, education level. Diversity can also describe differing worldview, thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and values.

Equity refers to the fairness in treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for everyone despite all of the differences that make the population diverse. In addition, equity involves the identification and elimination of existing barriers that have prevented access or opportunity to certain groups of people. In order to improve equity, institutional systems must become just and fair with respect to processes and procedures, as well as in the accessibility of resources. Addressing equity means addressing root and systemic causes for disparities within our society.

Lastly, the term inclusion refers to the act of creating environments where all individuals and groups are welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. Inclusive spaces encourage full participation of all. An inclusive and welcoming environment embraces the differences of individuals and groups while showing respect in, not only words, but most importantly actions.

Simply promoting diversity does not yield a culture of inclusion. It’s important to note that while an inclusive group is by definition diverse, a diverse group isn’t always inclusive. Increasingly, recognition of unconscious or ‘implicit bias’ helps organizations to be deliberate about addressing issues of inclusivity.

Investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion can be significant when done the right way. However, the return on investment will be well worth it as organizations benefit in a multitude of ways, from a more engaged workforce to a positively impacted bottom-line. The following list shows 8 evidence based ways that diverse companies are winning in the market place.

36% More Likely to be Profitable

Companies with diverse leadership teams respective of experience, age, industry background, and gender have proven to show increased profitability. However, cultural and ethnical diversity in leadership teams has been proven to hav the most significant impact on profitability. These companies are 36 percent more likely to be profitable than their less diverse counterparts. This can be due to innovation as there are differing viewpoints, backgrounds, and ideas at the table.

2. 28% More profitable with gender diverse leadership.

Higher representation of women in C-suite level positions results in 34 precent greater returns to shareholders. Increasing the percentage of women on a leadership team strengthens skills diversity amongst the organization to improve management performance. Women in upper management positions may also motivate women throughout an organization’s workforce, creating a pipeline of talented women leaders.

3. Innovation through diverse ideas

Companies that have diverse leadership are able to unlock innovation for market growth in a way that less diverse leadership can’t. A diverse leadership team encourages an environment where forward thought, and “out of the box” ideas can be brought to the table to create compelling and innovative initiatives. Leaders who bring diverse voices to the table are nearly twice as likely as their counterparts to yield value-driving insights.

4. Outperform less gender diverse companies by 58%

Gender diverse organizations help attract and retain quality talent. Organizations with above-average gender diversity and levels of employee engagement outperform companies with below-average diversity and engagement by 46 to 58 percent.

5. Engaged employees

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are closely linked to employee engagement. Studies have provided evidence that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical components in employee retention, productivity, and performance. When employees feel included and valued, they are more likely become more engaged in the work they do and better perform while championing the organization. This, in turn, leads to better business outcomes for the organization.

6. Attracting top talent

Millennial and Generation Z are most diverse generational cohorts entering the workforce. Sixty-seven percent of job seekers value diversity, equity, and inclusion when seeking employment. Prospective candidates are seeking companies that foster diverse and inclusive workplaces, and are more likely to stay when they feel appreciated. The advantages of workplace diversity that includes a more positive culture, increased profitability, and an atmosphere of inclusivity, are a snapshot of the many benefits a diverse organization, that help to attract and retain employees.

7. 50% of job seekers wish their organization would increase diversity

As previously mentioned, Millennials make up the largest portion of the workforce. By the year 2025, Millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce. A study has found that half of all employees feel that their organizations should do more to increase diversity and inclusion. Fifty-four percent say they will leave an organization for lack of commitment to diversity and inclusion.

8. 45% report more market share

Organizations with 2D or two-dimensional diversity are 45 percent more likely to report that they increased their market share and 70 percent of organizations with 2D diversity are more likely to have entered into a new market within the past year.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have not always been a top priority in organizations in the past. However, in learning from past mistakes, the tides have been turning and a shift in focus has been placed on creating inclusive work environments for diverse teams. It has been evidenced that the organizations that have diverse leadership teams and focus on a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion are actually winning. These organizations are leading in profitability, innovation, and employee recruitment and retention. In order to foster an environment of inclusivity and build diverse teams, the action must be genuine and intentional with careful cultivation. The investment will lead to more fulfilled, more engaged employees who feel valued and better perform at work, increasing productivity, increasing client satisfaction, and ultimately increasing profitability. Organizations that are in the top quartile for 2D or two dimensional diversity including both gender and ethnic diversity are 12 percent more likely to outperform their less diverse counterparts, proving any investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion will be returned through better business outcomes.

Managing through COVID-19: What your Employees Need Most

We are in the thick of an unprecedented time where all aspects of everyday life and business are dictated by the Coronavirus and fear. Unemployment is at an all time high and businesses have been forced to close their doors. While this negatively impacts most businesses, the effects to small businesses are most detrimental. For businesses that are deemed essential, it is imperative that leadership rise to the occasion during this global pandemic to inspire hope and resiliency in place of anxiety and uncertainty. In order to move employees from a place of fear to a place of confidence and engagement, business leaders have to present a clear path forward.

A forerunner in employee engagement metrics, Gallup, performed a meta-analysis that found four components that employees require of business leadership in times of crisis. These four components or needs include: trust, compassion, stability, and hope. From their research that reviewed the findings of past crises and applied it to the impact of COVID-19, five actionable practices were derived to act as an audit tool to gauge just how well you are providing your employees with what is needed most in this time of crisis.

1.My leadership has a clear plan of action. During trying times, it is important that employees have faith in leadership to guide them through the obstacles in place. They need to be able to trust that there is a clear path forward. However, Gallup has found that only 39% of American workers feel that their leadership has communicated a clear plan of action.

2. I feel well-prepared to do my job. Having the tools you need to do your job is very important and painfully obvious. With social distancing in play and working from home becoming the new normal, this is even more important. For those who work in customer facing roles, PPE has become a necessity in addition to the tools needed to do their job. Those who are new to working from home, now need to ensure they have proper equipment and a conducive home office setting. In adapting to these new working condition, Gallup has found that 54% of Americans feel they are well-prepared to do their job.

3. My supervisor keeps me informed about what is going on. Communication and transparency are key in dealing with crisis management. An organization’s response to COVID-19 should be clear and communicated across the entire organization. However, it is the manager or supervisor who is responsible for providing understanding of the response and helping their direct reports adjust to the changes. This includes flexibility as well as managing expectations. Gallup has reported that only 48% of American respondents feel that their supervisor or manager keeps them informed about what is going on in response to COVID-19.

4. My organization cares about my wellbeing. A key component associated with employee engagement is employee wellbeing. During this pandemic, many employees are working from home with the added stress of having school aged children at home due to school closures. Flexibility and compassion from employers is imperative with the new normal in work-life balance during this crisis. Gallup has found that less than half of Americans, about 45%, feel like their organizations care about their wellbeing with respect to the impact of COVID-19.

5. Over the past 24 hours, how often have you been practicing social distancing? Don’t be part of the problem. It has been shown by the CDC and other governing agencies that in order to lessen the spread of VOVID-19, social distancing must be practiced continuously and consistently. We live in a time where technology is a vital part of everyday live, and we are fortunate enough to be able to use technology to stay together while we stay home. However, Gallup has found that only 26% percent of Americans reported they ‘Always’ practice social distancing and 40% reported that they practice social distancing ‘Very Often.’

It is highly recommended that you use this free tool to evaluate the pulse of your workforce as soon as possible. Gallup provides free access to the COVID-19 leadership audit here. They have found that a high response rate can be achieved in just 48 hours. If you find that you do not score in the higher range, look at this as an opportunity. Work directly with your employees to find out how you can better provide them with what they need most in terms of trust, compassion, stability, and hope.

How SMBs Can Implement a CSR Strategy Affordably – business.com

https://www.business.com/articles/how-smbs-benefit-from-csr-strategy/

Millennials and CSR: An Infographic

This infographic was created as a supplement to my dissertation proposal defense last weekend. It provides a high level overview of the significance of corporate social responsibility in the recruitment and engagement of millennial employees.

Millennials and CSR

GIVE Pgh: My Experience Building a PWA

As a tech for good fellow with Net Impact, I was tasked with creating an impact project that would reach at least 250 people. The impact project I created is a progressive web app (PWA) called GIVE Pgh. The purpose of this app is for simpler charitable giving to non-profit organizations in the Pittsburgh area. The app will feature a new non-profit organization each month allowing users to donate through the JustGiving donation platform. This app aims to showcase the lesser known charity organizations in the Pittsburgh area that get overlooked.

The GIVE Pgh app aims to address the lack of support for smaller and lesser known charitable organizations in Pittsburgh. According to the 501c3 registry from the IRS, there are over 4,000 tax exempt or non-profit entities in the area. However, there are only a handful that get continuous recognition from the larger fundraisers throughout the region.

The GIVE Pgh app uses the JustGiving donation platform to provide simple and secure charitable giving. The simple donation integration API was used to achieve this. The app was developed with the GoodBarber app builder. The entire process was spent developing and designing the application. In addition, time was spent working with the JustGiving development team to get all the branding and necessary information for the app.

The GIVE Pgh app was published on April 29th, 2018. I have tested the app, but would like it to be tested by potential end users. The app has been downloaded by people in my personal network and I am awaiting feedback. I plan to take all feedback received and make adjustments to the app if necessary.

With the help of the feedback from users, the GIVE Pgh app will give smaller charitable organizations the opportunity to have their missions spread across a different demographic. This exposure will help raise funds to continue to carry out the visions of these organizations.

The GIVE Pgh app will be sustained past this fellowship by becoming a non-profit organization. Currently I fund this project out of pocket as a progressive web app. However, I would like to upgrade the app from a PWA to a native application that would be available in the Google Play store for Android and the Apple App Store. I understand this is not an easy feat, however, I plan to file tax exempt status for GIVE Pgh and collaborate with interested people to grow this impact project.

There was a lot to learn during this process around patience, expectations, and the complexity of app building. Building an app, even if it is a progressive web app, is time consuming and takes both financial and technical wherewithal.

Continue reading “GIVE Pgh: My Experience Building a PWA”

#NI17 Path to Purpose

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the 25th annual Net Impact conference in Atlanta, GA. For those unfamiliar with Net Impact, it is an organization that was started by MBA students with the goal of bringing impact and purpose mainstream. Currently there are over 300 chapters across the country with tens of thousands of members.

This year’s theme was Path to Purpose which aimed to help attendees explore what it means to them to build a career with purpose. The event began with several boot camp sessions around design thinking, racial equity, and advancing in an impact career. There was also a symposium on leading with the triple bottom line. Following was the 2017 cohort Fellowship kickoff, which I took part in as a Tech for Good fellow.

Of the two keynotes given during the conference, my favorite was actually on climate change. The speakers were Paul Hawken, Executive Director of Project Drawdown, and Derreck Kayongo, CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Derreck gave an inspiring, and at times funny, speech about his childhood in Uganda, to coming to the U.S. and seeing how much hotels waste soap. He noted that the over 800 million bars of soap are thrown out by hotels annually, leading to compromised decomposition of waste that actually affects climate change.

My experience at the conference was very informative and inspiring. Given that I am part of the Tech for Good fellowship, the sessions I attended were obviously geared toward technology. For me, the most interesting sessions were Leveraging Tech as a Force for Good and How Tech is Changing Philanthropy. Side note, I am pretty disappointed in missing the Founders Who Paved their Own Way session on startups and corporate impact since that is something I am working on.

One of the requirements for the fellowship is to create an impact project locally and document the process and the outcomes. I will be using this blog to track some of the progress on my impact project, as well as my progress of starting a Net Impact chapter on Point Park’s campus. I have a really good idea for the impact proposal that will benefit Pittsburgh non-profit organizations, so keep a lookout for future posts.