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Once a year, NORMA Group employees voluntarily support social and ecological projects in the neighborhoods of the sites on what the company calls “NORMA Help Day.” But why does NORMA Group organize such an event? And what are the effects of volunteering? This was the topic of a study conducted by the University of Mannheim.
It’s a hustle and bustle at the orphanage in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. NORMA Group employees are laying tiles, installing new lamps and painting rooms. There is also a lot going on outside – the playground equipment is being given a new paint finish. The children find all this quite exciting. They help out, ask the employees questions or just watch what is going on.
It is NORMA Help Day in Ciudad Juarez. As at many other sites, a group of NORMA employees swarms out to support social organizations in the vicinity of the site on this day. NORMA Group has a special relationship with the orphanage though: “We have been cooperating with the orphanage for years now,” explains Alma Chaparro, who organizes Help Day in Ciudad Juarez. “The cooperation works very well – all participants benefit.”
Impressions from Help Day 2019 in Juarez, Mexico
Added value for NORMA Group?
Similar to Mexico, nearly all NORMA Group sites conduct a Help Day. The activities are as varied as the environments in which NORMA Group is active. They range from joint baking campaigns in convalescent and children’s homes to repairing playgrounds and parks and donating food to local aid organizations.
But why does NORMA Group, a global, publicly listed company in the field of joining technology, even organize such a volunteer day? “We want to be a member of society – for us, that means giving something back to the community, besides offering jobs,” explains Marcus Chan, who organizes Help Day at the production site in Malaysia. Alma Chaparro from Mexico takes a similar view: “We are really making a contribution here that is highly appreciated by the partner organizations.”
But anchoring at the sites is only one argument. The effect of this commitment on employees is also important. But what effect can a program like NORMA Help Day have on job satisfaction and identification with the company?
Study examines the benefits of NORMA Help Day
This question was investigated in a study organized by NORMA Group together with the University of Mannheim. Besides the organizers from various sites and regions, more than 300 NORMA Group employees were surveyed – both those who participated in Help Day and those who have not yet taken part in Help Day.
The results show that participants in Help Day identify more with NORMA Group on average and attach greater importance to their daily work. This may be due to Help Day, but also simply to the fact that motivated employees tend to volunteer more.
Another important finding is related to the recognition of commitment. Where NORMA Group showed greater recognition of employee engagement, participants not only perceived Help Day as a meaningful event, but it also had a positive impact on their identification with the company and how meaningful they feel their job is.
Last, but not least, through the cooperation with the University of Mannheim, NORMA Group has also gained important insights into how it can further improve how Help Day is organized: for example, by giving employees more autonomy and leeway in helping to shape Help Day – because this increases the perceived importance of Help Day itself.
All participants benefit
In summary, it is evident that this is a classic win-win situation of social commitment (corporate citizenship). On the one hand, society can benefit from the company’s and its employees’ commitment. On the other hand, the results of the study showed that the company benefits by making an offer to its employees that can improve their satisfaction and perception of the company.
NORMA Group is now using this experience to further improve Help Day. In the meantime, the volunteers in Mexico are certain that they will be back next year to make their contribution.
