Britain in Hong Kong May-June 2023

Talent pursuing ‘purpose’ on the path to wellness

From my vantage point – running a non-profit that partners with companies to empower their people to volunteer and support the community – it seems the “war for talent and wellness” is inextricably linked.

To attract the right talent, and be in a position to nurture their well-being, we’re seeing the companies we work with make a genuine commitment to connecting their people with social causes and programs they are passionate about Ultimately living the ‘values’ they claim and speak about with their teams and prospective talent

As a social impact partner to these companies, we at HandsOn Hong Kong experience first-hand how essential these kinds of commitments are We’ve seen people around the world willingly leave jobs during the recent challenging years amid the “Great Resignation” People are re-evaluating priorities and making changes based on the kind of life they want. Our work-life of course plays a critical role in this.

The Harvard Business Review shared a perspective that really resonates with me. That the “Great Resignation” is a misnomer and is actually the “Great Aspiration”. In their words: “Employees are searching for meaning, yearning to grow, and wanting to work for personal fulfillment as much as for compensation.”

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”

The strive for purpose we are seeing, could not come at a better time for Hong Kong There are currently 1 65 million people in our city living below the poverty line the highest number since record keeping began That means 1 in 5 Hongkongers are struggling to make ends meet each day, getting by on HKD$4,400 (or less) each month

The city’s frontline charities are a lifeline for the most vulnerable families and individuals but they themselves face tremendous challenges. Many of them are underfunded and almost all are under-resourced and severely stretched.

At HandsOn we harness people’s desire to make a difference, by empowering them to roll up their sleeves and become part of the vital work being done on the front-lines of our sector. In 2022, we mobilised the community – corporate volunteers, caring individuals, families, students, retirees – to take up more than 14,000 volunteer roles They supported 84,000 people in Hong Kong who could benefit from kindness and connection

Decades of research has consistently shown that volunteering makes as much of a difference to the volunteer as it does to the people they are supporting The peer-reviewed Journal of Happiness studies (devoted to advancements in well-being), showed that volunteering makes us happier by reducing stress and lifting mood – and can even improve mental health over time.

Working professionals are no exception. The Macquarie Graduate School of Management found that 93% of employees whose company makes it possible for them to volunteer, feel happy with their employer. 54% said they were “proud of their company’s contributions to society” and engaged at work.

Bridging connections between for-profit and nonprofit sectors

A HandsOn research project with Nielsen demonstrated that a lack of time and “not knowing where to start” are the biggest barriers to volunteering.

BritCham is an incredible partner to our charity in addressing some of these obstacles, encouraging their network to take positive action and experience the incredible benefits of community engagement for everyone.

Their dedicated HandsOn landing page bridges connections between the for-profit and non-profit sectors. The page takes members directly to HandsOn volunteer activities supporting critical community themes: Poverty Alleviation, Diversity & Inclusion, Youth & Education and Environment & Energy.

I invite you to support this initiative by signing up for an activity and sharing within your organisation. We’d love to see the collective impact of BritCham’s member companies stepping forward together to get hands-on for Hong Kong – a city that has given many of us so much.

Here are a few ideas for deepening your people’s community connection – supporting their well-being at the same time:

Celebrate time-off to volunteer - Many companies have fantastic policies enabling their teams to take paid time off to volunteer but we see instances where employees are unaware (or nervous to take this up) These kinds of benefits should be highlighted during on-boarding and recruitment, and celebrated often. If HR can provide data on who’s making time to volunteer, then these ambassadors can share their experiences and motivate others during Town Hall meetings etc.

Ask people what they care about - A good way to start planning a volunteer initiative or choosing a charity partner(s), can be as simple as asking people what causes matter most to them in an online survey. Bringing your team into this process ensures their voices are heard, boosts ownership and often participation. If your company matches employee donations to charities they support, this should also be shared and celebrated as a benefit for all

Lead by example - The BritCham and HandsOn Hong Kong landing page enables all members to explore and sign-up for a range of volunteer opportunities, individually or with their team (at a time that suits you) Getting involved yourself is a great way to give back, while encouraging people around you to do the same When creating your account please mark ‘BritChamHK’ in the ‘Employer’ field so we can measure the impact of the BritCham community: team handsonhongkong org/britchamhk Our team is also available to deliver a short ‘Lunch & Learn’ talk for anyone who’d like a kick-start to inspire their teams This outlines needs in Hong Kong and the kind of ways your people can get hands-on to make a difference.

About HandsOn Hong Kong

HandsOn is a charity with the mission to empower everyone to volunteer Every day of the year they mobilize Hongkongers to support underresourced local charities and the groups they serve HandsOn volunteers deliver food packages to people struggling; build the confidence of children with special needs; show care for lonely elderly; show kindness to people experiencing homelessness; protect the environment, and much more

Catherine Tong Dannaoui Executive Director HandsOn Hong Kong