Linking Leadership Development With Social Responsibility Improves Employees Performance: Study

A global study released by Hay Group division of Kon Ferry a global people and advisory firm, shows that when organizations include social responsibility programs within their leadership development efforts it delivers results.

The survey which was carried out in more than 107 countries, with response from more than 7,500 people responses found that across all leadership levels an average of 36 percent of employees are ‘highly engaged’.

The study claims that leveraging a social responsibility agenda to develop leaders can help reverse the trend. Around 87 percent of respondents said that linking an organization’s social responsibility efforts to leadership developed had a positive impact on overall engagement and performance.

Unfortunately only 59 percent of respondents said their organizations actually do link the two. Gaurav Lahiri, Regional Director, Korn Ferry Hay Group says, “We have been working with clients in India and Asia Pacific on Leadership Development which has components of social responsibility built in.

These programs have delivered very high impact. What matters most to generation X and millennial employees is the ability to make a difference within an organization or to make an impact on the business.”

According to another study which was carried by the group, that top factor’s that improves people’s feelings towards their job is working for a company whose culture aligns with their values.

This was true especially with the younger workforce as their study pointed out that when it came to preferring between two jobs, visibility and alignment with the vision/mission of the organization was one of the parameters the workforce depended on. Nitin Razdan, Country Head, Korn Ferry Hay Group adds, “If an organization wants to win the current war for talent and retain valuable employees, then it needs to ensure that they constantly feel inspired.

Employees need to view themselves as part of a big picture and this is where the social responsibility platform can help. Some of our own initiatives in India towards ‘nation building’ have helped us connect our employees to a larger purpose.”

With corporate social responsibility initiatives gaining traction, some progressive companies are going beyond volunteerism, linking profitability with social responsibility and embedding these goals in their core mission statements.

“It is very important for employees to participate in social activities because it not only makes them better leaders but also helps them with better team spirit and team bonding at work,” said Perana Langa, CEO, Yes Foundation.