What you’ll learn in this article
Why build purpose-driven engagement into your people strategy
How purpose-driven engagement drives measurable business outcomes
Where Kiva integrates with HR strategy to help reach culture goals
As a people leader, I’ve spent my career navigating the same challenges that many CHROs face today. Aligning talent strategy with business strategy. Creating a purpose-driven culture. Helping employees connect to social impact — to feel part of something bigger than themselves.
But as I’m sure you already know, this is easier said than done. As an HR executive, you have questions. You want to know how to improve employee engagement, add purpose at scale, and build a company culture that feels authentic and real.
I’m learning, too. I’m working on the best way to answer these questions every day. And here at Kiva, what I’ve found is that connecting employees to social impact doesn’t have to be that complicated. Our employee giving platform for global teams offers companies the opportunity to support entrepreneurs around the world, creating real impact while strengthening engagement, culture, and retention along the way.
Why a purpose-driven culture is a strategic advantage for HR leaders
My time working in HR leadership roles at companies like Motorola, E.ON, Zebra Technologies, and now Kiva has taught me a lot about big-picture HR priorities, like employee experience. But employee experience goes deeper than being an HR concern. It’s a business imperative for workforce transformation. Engaged employees drive innovation, collaboration, and contribute to better business outcomes overall.
Purpose engagement — actively involving your employees in your company’s values — is a valuable way to create (and scale) the culture you’re striving for. And the benefits of employee engagement are clear: Highly engaged employees bring 14% higher productivity, up to 51% lower turnover, and 22% higher organizational citizenship to the workplace.
Highly engaged employees bring 14% higher productivity, up to 51% lower turnover, and 22% higher organizational citizenship to the workplace.
To get real results, purpose engagement can’t be something you tack on as an afterthought. It needs to be a structural part of your overall people strategy. This might look like integrating purpose into employee recognition programs, or aligning it with Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and social impact goals.
At Kiva, we help CHROs and people leaders activate purpose in a way that strengthens culture, improves retention, and builds lasting engagement.
How Visa achieved an 85% global participation rate through Kiva’s engagement program
Our corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives at Kiva help people feel a deeper purpose — a connection to something bigger than themselves. When we partner with a corporate, foundation, or organizational partner, we work with them to create a customized approach that gives your team the opportunity to create change in critical impact areas.
One striking example of how to engage employees through a social impact program is our partnership with Visa and Visa Foundation. In 2021, Visa and Visa Foundation launched a Kiva campaign supporting underserved entrepreneurs, with a focus on women entrepreneurs. Individual Visa employees had an opportunity to direct a loan to an entrepreneur they’d like to support. As a result, we saw record-setting numbers:
82% global participation rate (out of 17,100 employees)
2 out of 3 offices achieved 100% participation
$850,000 in loans funded to support 21,000 small businesses (85% of which were women-led)
One major marker of the campaign’s success? Executives led by example, stepping out to share how they chose a borrower to support. And year over year, Visa’s campaigns continued to grow — reaching an 85% participation rate in 2023. As a people leader, modeling commitment to social responsibility is a powerful way to improve purpose engagement company-wide.
Read more about the Visa Empowers campaign, which won the Halo Awards Gold Prize for Best Employee Engagement Initiative in 2022.
Improving employee retention through purpose engagement
CSR programs also help improve employee retention, for both new hires and seasoned employees. A report from Benevity Impact Labs indicated that when newer employees (those who have been with a company for 2.5 years or less) participate in corporate purpose programs, companies see a 52% lower turnover rate.
The same report found that when employees have been at a company for six years or less, they’re 29% less likely to leave if they participate in their employer’s purpose program.
When newer employees participate in corporate purpose programs, companies see a 52% lower turnover rate.
“Programs like this that support underserved communities around the world make me proud to work at Visa,” said an employee. “It is a big part of the reason why I plan to remain here until I retire.”
Explore the possibilities of scaling a purpose-driven culture
Connecting people to purpose is more than just a one-time, feel-good initiative for Employee Appreciation Day. It’s a proven strategy that drives real, measurable business outcomes.
At Kiva, we help organizations reach these outcomes by integrating purpose into people strategy. We do this through customizable employee engagement solutions that scale globally. You can tie Kiva campaigns into employee recognition, ERG-led initiatives, or ESG strategies. Whatever the case, I’m continually impressed at how supporting even just one person with $25 can spark larger conversations that help employees feel more invested.
If you’re exploring new ways to put purpose into action across your organization, I invite you to take a look at our partnerships page. You can explore our key impact areas and see more real-world examples of how companies partner with Kiva to increase employee engagement and culture goals.
