Bringing New Team Members on Board with a Fund

July 1, 2014

When selling the benefits of contributing to the a relief fund, it can be tempting to focus on those who have been with the company for many years. While it is true that those team members are likely to already have a strong sense of personal investment in the company and are great candidates for contributions, they are also the group who is least likely to need convincing to participate in the program. If your company has a history of caring for its team members, more experienced team members will likely see the benefit of the program from the start.

Best practices include focusing on participation from new hires and team members who have been with the company less than five years. Newer team members are just starting to get a feel for the organization and its culture. If an organization's culture is based on trust and a sense of responsibility for each other, introducing new team members to that from the start is key.

Presenting the opportunity to contribute to a relief fund that was created with the sole intention of helping team members in their time of need when team members are undergoing orientation is a great place to start. This is a way to strike while the iron is hot, and to frame the program in the larger context of the corporate culture. Start by highlighting the features and benefits of the programs, and make contributions easy by having a sign-up process which can be completed along with the other paperwork that comes along with being newly hired.

By focusing on newer team members, you are building the relief fund from the ground up. It is likely to already receive support from more experienced team members, but in order for it to grow and thrive, it must also earn the support of new team member. Over time, contributing to the fund will just be seen as something one does upon commencing employment with your company.

Author: Doug Stockham, President

Emergency Assistance Foundation