Loyalty inspired by care

So we wanted to dig a little deeper, because for us, care is what drives &Open’s very existence. We wouldn’t be here if people working for brands didn’t want to show their customers or employees they care (with gifts). Care inspires loyalty. We understand that, and so do a lot of other people around the globe working to ensure people feel cared for.

We thought given the overwhelming content pushed into our palms on a daily basis, that a blog post simply about some of the nice things companies have done for their employees throughout the course of the pandemic, might be a nice production.

Where brands have struggled with their voice and others have struggled to find meaning through the pandemic, there have been those brands who have soared in everyone’s estimation - who have risen to the challenge poised and excelled in response.

The Coca-cola foundation has been in operation since 1984 and has to date donated more than $1B in funding to +2400 charitable causes across the globe. Employees are encouraged to submit allocation requests alongside being able to involve themselves in community projects. Some of the most impactful projects combine objectives with charitable outreach eg. diversity and inclusion through the guise of funding for young women to go to college.

Earlier this year, the company cut its marketing spend in order to spend more money on its reaction to COVID-19. They have since spent more than $55M helping communities to cope or fight the disease. And when their marketing spend returned, the team produced this ad with George the Poet, which was heralded for its message and optimistic overtures. A video montage of Coca-Cola employees showing their gratitude and appreciation for essential healthcare workers and emergency responders on the COVID-19 front lines was also teed up in Times Square to coincide with New Yorkers cheering frontline workers on from their homes. The 40-second clip features a mashup of virtual “thank yous” sent in from employees’ kitchens, balconies, home offices and driveways with the trending hashtag #ClapBecauseWeCare.

Statistics show that involving employees in volunteering work will create a brand loyalty derived from very few other places. Your employer is encouraging altruistic behaviour, time away from work and hours spent entirely selflessly. In late May, the Dublin MasterCares team emailed employees looking for volunteers to be paired with older members of the community wanting to become tech-active during the pandemic.

MasterCares had teamed up with a local charity in Ireland to help elderly members of the community get set up on technology that would have been inaccessible to them without guidance. Every volunteer participating was assigned to work 1-to-1 with an older person. A personalised 6-week programme was then designed by the MasterCard employee to help them reach their digital literacy goals. A community project worth writing about: “we all have a role to play and a responsibility to ensure that as technology advances, it is as inclusive as possible for those who want to use it,” writes Greg O’Brien, a participant in the programme and MasterCard product manager.

Intel’s reputation for employee wellbeing is considered one of the best in the world, and when the pandemic hit, the company responded by investing staff time and resources into deliverables that would help combat the virus’s impact. From creating masks in virtual sewing circles, to 3D printing face shields, to teaching classes and tutoring online, to donating and delivering food to those in need.

Intel allocated $50M toward their Covid response package which included resources for employees, healthcare workers and the general community. “Our sense of responsibility to use our time, talents and energy to have a positive impact in the world has never been stronger.” chief people officer Sandra Riviera wrote in a recent blog post.