Ask a CSR Friend: Understanding What Employees Really Care About — Beyond Surveys

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Hear from our experts right here in our Ask a CSR Friend monthly column.

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, we know collaboration is key to creating vibrant workplaces where employees are equipped to contribute to the communities and causes they care about. So, when you need a trusted advisor to lean on, rely on Points of Light to be Your CSR Friend. Each month, our experts share their wisdom and wit to address a specific but often universal challenge related to your work as a corporate social impact practitioner.

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Dear CSR Friend,

Our employee volunteer program has been in place for several years, but lately engagement has plateaued. I’m starting to wonder if the opportunities we’re offering aren’t fully aligned with what our employees truly care about.

We send an annual survey to understand employee interests and collect feedback after each volunteer project. While we use those insights to shape our programming, I can’t shake the feeling that surveys alone may not be giving us the full picture.

Beyond surveys, how can I better understand what our employees care about? And once I have that information, how do I turn it into meaningful action?

Signed,
Wondering in Washington

Hi Wondering in Washington,

Employee surveys absolutely have their place. But behavior often tells a richer story than self-reported preferences. Many companies are already collecting meaningful data they just aren’t always using it strategically and in some cases they may not realize it’s even available to them.

According to the CECP Giving in Numbers report, companies track extensive employee participation data across giving and volunteer programs. When analyzed thoughtfully, that data can reveal powerful patterns about what employees care about most.

Let’s explore where to look and how to turn that data into insight.

Step 1: Look at What Employees Do, Not Just What They Say

Matching Gift Programs

Matching gift data is one of the clearest indicators of employee interest. If 35% of matching gift dollars consistently go toward education-focused nonprofits, or environmental organizations show steady year-over-year growth, that’s more than anecdotal. It’s a pattern! Those insights can inform which nonprofit partnerships you prioritize and which volunteer campaigns you promote.

Volunteer Grants (Dollars for Doers)

Volunteer grants connect time and financial support. If certain nonprofits repeatedly receive grant funding, that may signal strong grassroots relationships. That insight can guide formal partnerships and expanded service opportunities.

Payroll Deduction & Workplace Giving

Recurring payroll deductions reflect long-term alignment with a cause. If specific issue areas consistently receive the largest share of payroll donations, those trends can guide volunteer programming and educational initiatives.

Taken together, matching gifts, volunteer grants and payroll giving create a more complete picture of employee priorities. When the same issue areas or nonprofit organizations appear across multiple data sets, that’s a strong signal, not a coincidence.

Step 2: Translate Data Into Useful Insight

Segment by Geography

Regional patterns matter. If one office supports housing insecurity while another leans toward environmental sustainability, localizing volunteer opportunities can increase relevance and participation.

Break It Down by Employee Type

Review engagement by department, tenure, leadership level or remote versus onsite employees. Understanding these differences helps design opportunities that meet employees where they are.

Look for Patterns Over Time and Depth of Engagement

Multi-year trends reveal sustained commitment. Consider both participation rates and depth of involvement to determine where to scale, nurture or experiment.

Step 3: Use Insights to Evolve Your Program

Once you identify high-interest areas, you can build nonprofit partnerships, create themed volunteer campaigns and tailor communications.

Ask:

• Where are employees already investing their time and money?
• Where is there strong interest that we aren’t currently supporting?
• How can we align high-interest areas with broader CSR priorities?

When employees see their interests reflected in programming, engagement becomes more natural and more sustainable.

Final Thoughts

Surveys are valuable, but they shouldn’t be your only listening tool!

The data inside your volunteer and giving platforms tells a powerful story about what employees care enough to act on. By analyzing that data thoughtfully, you can evolve your program in ways that feel authentic and strategically aligned.

Sometimes the clearest answers aren’t in what employees say, they’re in what they choose to do.

Until next time,
Your CSR Friend

If you need help strategizing ways to engage your employees in support of your community, Points of Light’s Consulting team is here to help and the Corporate Service Council member network is a great way to engage your peers in conversation on vital topics like this. Still have questions? Don’t forget you can always ask a CSR friend!