by Kim Thomson
While it’s safe to say most employees would like to work toward a mission that makes a difference in the world or community it’s not feasible for everyone. In today’s marketplace, those who are interested in making a difference are faced with making the difficult choice between choosing a profession that’s function makes us feel good or one that provides for a specific lifestyle. Some companies are making it possible for their employees to straddle both worlds by giving back to their communities through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, one such company is Glassdoor. I sat down with Glassdoor’s Associate Director of Communications, Scott Dobroski, and Glassdoor’s CSR program co-founder, Danny MacDonough, to discuss how and why Glassdoor has engaged their community.
Glassdoor’s CSR program, CommunityDoor, really got started in a very Grassroots way when a few employees decided to help a colleague, who had survived cancer, raise money for a charity bike ride. Their fundraising efforts, primarily made through internal announcements via email and mentions during all-hands meetings, were successful. It was at that point where Danny MacDonough and Scott Hanna realized their efforts to help their coworker with his fundraising goal could turn into something much bigger and teamed up to incorporate volunteerism formally at Glassdoor. It was no surprise to MacDonough & Hanna that they received full support from the C-level at Glassdoor, as “at least one of our executives attends each event,” commented MacDonough. “They are our biggest cheerleaders.”
“Our CEO, Robert Hohman, has often said that ‘being a great company means being a good steward in the community’,” added Dobroski “and there are studies that back that up. Companies who give back are also more productive and efficient.”
What may be even more interesting is the emergence of companies, like Glassdoor, that fully incorporate a mission to make a social impact in to the company’s business objectives. Many companies will say ‘giving back’ is one of their core values and attest its necessity to their business. When all is said and done that goal is far too often overshadowed by the ‘daily grind’. Glassdoor’s focus is more genuine, not just stating that service is at the core of their values but actually ensuring that call to serve others is a real part of their employees’ day to day focus. Through the utilization of their CSR program and in the way they communicate their business objectives, Glassdoor is very clear on their commitment to the community. “Glassdoor is a mission driven company,” explains Dobroski “our goal as a company is to help people. There’s nothing wrong with being an ecommerce site or a retail corporation, but Glassdoor literally impacts communities, business and local economies worldwide. If everyone had a job they love then the world would be a better place. Whether it is helping people find jobs and companies they love or realizing their fair market value for the work they do, we’re out there making a difference in the lives of those individuals. CommunityDoor is an extension of our mission and it really drives home our core values as a company”.
Today, CommunityDoor operates with a goal of organizing at least one community based activity per quarter. Their activities have varied in size and scope from organizing a trip to the Boys & Girls Club, hosting sessions to discuss job hunting techniques, and volunteering at a youth book drive. Most notably, CommunityDoor invited local middle school and junior high students to come into the Glassdoor office and sit with the engineering team to learn coding techniques. It’s safe to say they’ve found their groove when it comes to giving back.
About Glassdoor: Glassdoor allows job seekers to go online and search for companies, salaries, company reviews, interview questions, search for and apply to jobs for free all in one spot.