Manager Tips: Be a Model for Social Responsibility

A critical part of taking care of our well-being is taking care of the world around us. Being socially responsible – that is, doing good for the community and the environment – has a positive impact all around. Not only can we help protect our planet and improve the lives of others, activities like volunteering also help lower stress and increase happiness. Plus, providing volunteering opportunities in the workplace and cultivating a culture of giving also increases employee engagement and job satisfaction.

Here are five actions you can take as a manager to promote social responsibility with your team:

1. Coordinate a volunteering event.
   Promote team building with a volunteering event for your team. Consider a cause you care about and determine a safe, impactful event you and your team can coordinate, such as a charity bike ride/walk or a virtual phone-a-thon.
2. Model sustainable behavior.
   Commit to one or two small habit changes that will benefit the planet. These can be as simple as recycling, double-sided printing, biking to work (when possible), or reducing your use of plastics. Share your sustainable actions with your team and encourage others to make their own commitments.
3. Take team breaks for giving back.
   When working virtually, it’s more important than ever to take short breaks throughout the day to stay energized. Encourage your teams to make breaks meaningful by building in creative activities to give back to the community, like writing letters to children in a local hospital, or thank you notes to essential workers and community leaders.
4. Provide opportunities to connect through purpose.
   Build connections by speaking openly about social causes you support. Take a well-being moment during meetings to share and encourage your team, in turn, to talk about the social causes they champion. Connect team members to global projects if they have a passion and are looking for a related charity to support.
5. Empower your team with information.
   Find time to share applicable resources with your team to make it easier – and more interesting – to give back. They may get inspired by AECOM’s Blueprint for a Better World, discover a helpful app or learn something new about the science of giving.