workplace. Everything needs to be coherent with
that people remain very generous and contin-
the organization’s overall governance and design.”
ue to support their neighbors, communities and charitable causes when they face crises and hard
This echoes well-known research by Wharton’s
times,” said a spokesman for the AFP’s Fundrais-
Adam Grant. Deficits in what he calls “value
ing Effectiveness Project. “The exciting part is the
concordance” may lead employees to look for
increase in small gifts” from unexpected donors
fulfillment elsewhere if they derive no mean-
– that is, average people suffering from the pan-
ing, recognition or support from their day jobs.
demic themselves.
Anne-Claire Pache, Chaired Professor in Philanthropy at ESSEC, takes it further. She finds that,
This is even more extraordinary when you con-
when it comes to keeping corporate volunteers
sider that the largest living adult generation who
engaged, also letting employees choose what
comprise most of today’s workforce (millennials)
cause(s) they want to support may count for even
own just 4.6% of the total wealth, while 70% of all
more than managerial recognition and support.
wealth is concentrated in the pockets of those in
In fact, this self-determination piece may be a
their late 50s and older, and who are approach-
mediating factor in “driving employees’ lasting
ing or who are already in retirement (the so-called
commitment, thereby unleashing the potential
boomers and silent generation). (Although these
positive impact on employees, companies and
stats are from the U.S., the same is broadly true in
beneficiaries alike.”
other Western nations.) Those who have less seem
Every little helps
to be giving more.
Putting more “giving power” into the hands of the
Here is where platform-, social media- and SMS-
individual has never been easier, thanks
based methods of direct giving come into their
to technology, which has democratized
own. It’s “the long tail” of giving, where micro do-
giving so it is not just giant corpo-
nations can be aggregated to make as big an im-
rations and the ultra-rich who can afford to be philanthropic.
pact as the one-time mega gift of the traditional wealthy donor.
Throughout 2020, individual
GiveDirectly, a charity that
household giving to charity and
makes direct cash transfers
volunteering were up, especially
to needy individuals in the
for food banks and healthcare-related causes, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), which administers the largest database on charitable donations in North America. “What we’re seeing is
U.S. and Africa, was quoted as saying: “You’re seeing people giving out cash themselves on Twitter. I haven’t seen a period like this where so many people from so many different types of
no. 158 | IESE Business School Insight | 19
