The company will match donations made to any desired place with double the amount.
HP Korea delivered this notice to employees last month. For example, if an employee donates 100,000 won to an orphanage, the company contributes an additional 200,000 won, totaling 300,000 won. HP carries out this social contribution program company-wide every month. There is also a designated day during the year where employees are not required to work and are encouraged to engage in volunteer activities. As a result, 77% of more than 830 HP Korea employees participated in voluntary service activities over the past year.
What is the reason for a global IT corporation to emphasize volunteer activities for employees in such a distinctive manner? On the 18th, I met Kim Hye-sun, executive director of HP Korea's public policy and compliance management. Kim, who is leading sustainable management activities at HP Korea, said, "While we pursue profits through technology, bridging the gap to ensure that those who are marginalized are not left behind is something that tech corporations 'must do'—a philosophy that has been carried on since the founding era." However, it is not merely for the sake of obligation. Kim noted, "Volunteer activities definitely benefit the company's business, as they not only foster employees' sense of loyalty but also help uncover hidden talents of employees that may have gone unnoticed, nurturing them as leaders."
The key here is 'voluntariness.' It is believed that voluntary acts of helping others can actually elevate one's pride and morale. Kim stated, "Employees reflect on their contributions through their abilities and think, 'This is a company where I can feel proud to work,' showing their enthusiasm. Many employees say that participating in such volunteer activities outside the company makes working there enjoyable."
Recently, many corporations have been engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, but Kim pointed out that "there are more companies than expected that focus only on activities 'our company can provide' rather than activities that beneficiaries actually 'want to receive.'" For social contribution projects to be sustainable, it is essential to prioritize understanding the needs of recipients, just like when selling products. He said, "The core is conducting programs after intensive discussions with demand organizations and beneficiaries to understand what they want, and continuously revising the programs based on feedback afterward." Below is a Q&A with Kim.
—Why is employee participation in voluntary activities important for corporations?
Employees often find value, enjoyment, and fulfillment in their work through activities that help others, spending at least 30% of their 24-hour day on work. They have the opportunity to 'meld work and passion' by sharing their skills with students or the elderly. Most employees echo, 'I went to help but came back having learned myself.' They naturally start to appreciate the value of their work that they usually forget.
Engineers often identify improvements for products they had not considered while engaging in tech volunteering. Furthermore, encouraging company leaders to participate as 'sponsors' in each activity facilitates natural communication with employees. Additionally, it helps discover hidden talents among employees that go unnoticed in the workplace, prompting cross-department collaboration, and the company offers various opportunities for employees to further develop those skills. This creates a positive feedback loop for both the company and its employees.
—How does the company encourage employee participation?
We strive to plan tailored volunteer programs that encapsulate the uniqueness of tech corporations. It is crucial to deliver the abilities of HP employees to areas that can genuinely benefit. Most programs are not carried out solely by HP, but are customized through discussions with 13 to 15 collaborating organizations such as local governments based on the needs of beneficiaries. Recently, there was a case where if there were students from specialized high schools among the children of HP employees, those students were invited to the company for on-site training opportunities. In this instance, an engineer father directly conducted mentorship training in front of his son and his friends at the Pangyo Research and Development Center. The son would have gained a clear understanding of what his father does. How proud must they both feel? From the company's perspective, it is undoubtedly a virtuous cycle.
—Is 100% voluntariness correct? What is the key to the high participation rate of employees even without obligation?
If social contribution activities were included in performance evaluations or made mandatory, the participation rate of employees would certainly be 100%. But it's at 77%, right? (laughs) The total volunteer hours for the last fiscal year were over 2,850 hours, averaging about 4 hours per person. All these activities operate voluntarily and are closely tied to corporate culture. Since the company does not track clock-in and clock-out times and has a culture of trusting its employees, volunteering activities are left to individual choice. There is an official 'Volunteer Day' when employees are permitted to take a day off for service, but no one says anything if they do not volunteer on that day.
Instead, a culture of recognizing such activities has established itself across the board. For instance, a team leader may announce on a bulletin board, 'Mr. A, you did a wonderful volunteer job this week. I will definitely participate next time,' while colleagues in the U.S. might ask, 'I heard you did coding education at elementary school; that's impressive. We want to do it too—how can we make that happen?' This 'culture of praise' naturally permeates, encouraging more employees to participate.
—Many corporations are enhancing CSR activities. What is the most important criterion when planning programs?
Like corporate sales activities, the most important consideration is 'consumer-centric thinking.' It's about asking oneself, 'Is this really a necessary program?' To achieve this, it is key to diligently check feedback from beneficiaries. For example, if our company provided online volunteer training but beneficiaries preferred on-site internships, we must quickly adjust the program.
Corporations conducting volunteer programs for students need to pay extra attention. HP employees undergo training on child protection policies, and they write declarations on the behaviors and attitudes they will adopt when educating children. The company also checks the criminal records of participating employees for any sex crimes. Only through this process can the activities become tailored to the learners and foster the program's growth.