For benefit managers, finding an offering that allows employees to
Financial services firm Fidelity Investments is a long-standing proponent of SBV, evidenced by its 21-year partnership with
"Skills-based volunteering is an important component of our overall community-relations efforts," says Teresa Pelletier, VP of community relations at Fidelity. "We know we are uniquely positioned, whether it be bringing financial education opportunities to students or helping nonprofit organizations in our communities solve pressing business needs — all because of the talent of our associates."
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For Victor Cruz, who joined Fidelity in 2021 and works as a senior representative, client services, participating in SBV with Common Impact was a chance to help young people in his community get on a path to college or other forms of higher education. Cruz and Fidelity employees from various departments teamed up with a nonprofit in Providence, RI that focuses on supporting low-income students, reviewing their education plans and coming up with ways to close any gaps.
Strengthening community
Having been raised in Rhode Island and part of a similar program himself while in college, Cruz says his SBV experience was a great opportunity to reflect on how much this type of program had helped him, and allowed him and his coworkers to interact and develop appreciation for each other's skills.
"I'm more customer facing, but it was very interesting to see how other people tackled different problems that were presented," he says. "Someone who has a completely different skill set and job can see things from a different view, and that helped me realize, oh, what a great way to tackle that idea."
Working together on a project separate from their day-to-day routine also strengthens the bonds among his team members, notes Cruz.
"It's always very team-oriented, because we can see each other having a direct impact towards our community, and that brings us together," he says.
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In addition to working with Common Impact, Fidelity Cares, the section of the company that coordinates its volunteer and other outreach initiatives, oversees year-round programs such as the FLY Initiative, which focuses on financial education and guidance for youth, and deems the month of May Fidelity Cares Month, with a variety of service opportunities in which employees can take part.
SBV promotes professional growth
As employees look for more professional development opportunities from their employers, benefit leaders can do them and the business a favor by looking into SBV as a way to fill this need.
"Our associates are given the opportunity to sharpen their skills through professional development and networking, as well as bring valuable insights back to their day job," says Pelletier. "The fresh perspective the experience lends our associates may be the most impactful."
This kind of offering is especially valuable to Gen Z professionals who place a lot of value in their employer's contribution to society, says Alana Francis de Govia, chief program officer at Common Impact. No matter what a workforce demographic looks like, the soft skills gained through SBV opportunities — problem solving, teamwork, communication — benefit everyone. It's a chance for companies to have a positive effect on nonprofits and employees in a way that is high quality, high impact, she says.
"We're seeing more companies that are interested in partnering with us for the skills- development component of their teams," Francis de Govia says. "[And] it's a way to build relationships internally within the company, [which] can be really important for the bottom line — making sure people have networking opportunities that are meaningful and skill-based. Volunteering can be a way to achieve that."
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With Fidelity Cares Month starting tomorrow, Cruz is looking forward to taking part in more SBV programs next month and beyond, especially in the area of youth financial literacy. It's a way to help the younger generation be better prepared for their futures, and make them familiar with the Fidelity brand, he says.
"I see it as opening up the door; we introduce these topics, but what ends up happening is they can do their own research on things that might benefit them," he says. "If Fidelity went to my school, [students] would get familiar with that name and brand, and then [they] can come work at Fidelity, too. It's like a full circle."
