Charitable Giving Promotes Happiness... So Let's all Pledge to Give More!

Nov 19, 2014 10:00 AM ET
Giving Makes Us Happy

Charitable Giving Promotes Happiness... So Let's All Pledge To Give More!

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article titled “Can Money Buy Happiness?” which, among other things, showed that people were a lot happier when they shared their wealth than when they kept it all to themselves, that “experiences” were far more fulfilling than material acquisitions, and that there were benefits to giving even when people were struggling to meet their own basic needs.

Clearly, our happiness and emotional wellbeing gets a sizable boost when we donate our money, time, possessions and/or our expertise to help others. The act of giving brings happiness, even when the quantum of giving is small, so we should all give to charitable causes for our own good, in whatever way we can.

Research additionally shows that corporations that encourage workplace giving programs benefit from better employee engagement and workplace pride, which translates into improved corporate branding, customer perception, sales and profits. Therefore, companies – big and small - should encourage and support workplace giving, through monetary and/or non-monetary programs such as Matching Gifts, Dollars for Doers, Individual and/or Team Volunteering and In-Kind Giving that leverages a company’s expertise, products, workforce, etc.

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