Tis The Season to Pay it Forward
You know that blissful moment, as you pull up to the drive through window of your local coffee shop, card at the ready to pay for your (overpriced, but oh-so-worth it) coffee, and the barista holds up their hand, rejecting the card and explaining, “the car in front of you paid for your coffee this morning.” Stunned but overcome with the warm-and-fuzzies, you realize you may have just been on the receiving end of a pay-it-forward act. You must now do the same.
Maybe, because the card is already in hand, you insist on paying for the person behind you, starting or continuing a chain of kindness. Or perhaps the next time you’re in line somewhere or have an opportunity to brighten someone’s day and pay forward that good feeling, you will. These single acts of kindness can have profound effects on the giver and the receiver, eventually snowballing into a community that is in the habit of paying forward random acts of kindness to their neighbors.
Paying it forward is an important part of corporate life and welfare also. Starting in the 1950's, corporations began recognizing a responsibility to society and their communities to do good deeds. This later became a staple in strategic planning and became known as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Companies who actively look for ways to influence and spread good will in their communities have noticed several benefits, from boosts in staff morale and loyalty, mental and physical health benefits, as well as, a positive public image that in turn attracted more clients. A simple act of kindness and goodwill is as much a benefit to your company as it is to society.
There are many ways in which a business can pay it forward to society. Adopt a highway. Plan a charity event, like a 5K. Donate to and participate in local events. Participate with the Pay it Forward Foundation. In addition to these CSR initiatives, companies should also encourage a paying it forward environment within the team to encourage cooperation and boost morale.
Our team has a history of participating with our community in local events and charities. We strive to spread kindness and good will daily. As a company, we encourage our team to go above and beyond for those around us to spread those warm-and-fuzzies that comes from doing good and receiving kindness from others. As a result, we have built a supportive, strong team that in turn has led to lasting relationships with our clients.
The holiday season is fast approaching and there is no better time to begin paying it forward or ramping up CSR efforts. So, let’s all buy that person’s coffee, send a desert to another table, and bring the company out to support a charity event.
Here are a list of our favorite organizations you may want to consider this year: