Lead by example through community service

Recently, more than 1,200 EY professionals in our Chicago office spent the day volunteering in the community instead of going to the office. We collectively provided more than 3,600 volunteer hours at 37 project sites.
While our people are committed to volunteering countless hours throughout the year as mentors, board members, pro bono advisors and more, EY Connect Day is one day when our employees in Chicago and across the Americas are able to team together to create a significant impact on our local communities.
I spent EY Connect Day teaching Junior Achievement curriculum at Washington Irving Elementary School alongside 60 other EY volunteers. We helped students understand the significant role entrepreneurs play in the business community and shared stories about various entrepreneurs and how they brought their ideas to fruition.
Leading students through exercises and having them map their skills and passions to future entrepreneurial opportunities, including potential customers and marketing campaigns, was a great way for them to learn how businesses work.
The students walked away with a new perspective about being business owners, and we ended the day feeling proud to work for a firm that’s committed to building a better working world and excited to share our experiences in the hope of motivating others to give back.
 
Encourage the next generation
Company-wide volunteer days, such as EY Connect Day, are a great option for leaders looking to encourage their employees — the next generation of leaders — to contribute to the good of the community. And community service can help young professionals grow personally, as well as professionally.
Giving a younger employee the opportunity to lead a volunteer team helps the employee gain valuable leadership experience that can be transferred to the office setting. What’s more, volunteer days offer the opportunity to strengthen team culture by encouraging employees to work with colleagues they may not have worked with before.
Offering opportunities to build skills and help others provides a dual benefit while also keeping us humble and grateful for the work we’re able to do.
At EY, our day of service is one way to give back, but it’s still just one day. We encourage our professionals to stay involved on a regular basis. I know I speak for many Chicago leaders when I say that young professionals should be getting involved and staying involved year-round.
So, when your employees come to you with aspirations to volunteer, here is some advice you may choose to pass along:

  • Start by identifying an organization whose mission excites you. If you’re passionate about the work the organization is doing, you’re much more likely to invest your personal time.
  • Explore committee memberships and strive for nonprofit board positions. It’s unrealistic to think that you can join a nonprofit board without any prior experience. I suggest that our professionals, particularly our millennials who are early in their careers, start by exploring opportunities to volunteer first as committee members. The time commitment is manageable, and it’s an easy way to build your personal network and sharpen skills. Once you have laid a solid foundation, junior board opportunities may arise, and these are great stepping stones toward more prominent board positions.
  • Shift your schedule to make room for giving back. I often hear people say, “I just don’t have time.” To which I say, “We all have the same amount of time in any given day. It’s how you choose to prioritize it that makes you different.” If it’s important to you and your career growth, you can find a way to make it happen. At EY, we value flexibility and support volunteerism, so we tell our people to work with their teams in advance to clear their calendars for community engagement commitments.

If your mentees and younger colleagues are serious about wanting to get involved, I encourage you to provide assistance where you can.  As the leader of nearly 3,000 professionals, I know people are taking their lead from me. If I’m rolling up my sleeves and diving in, I know other people will too. And that’s the ripple effect we want and need across Chicago.

Kim Simios is managing partner for Ernst & Young LLP’s Chicago office. She serves on the boards of World Business Chicago and Willow Community Church.