To attract and keep good staff, it is becoming critical for restaurants to differentiate themselves through the resources they provide to their employees. Support of community-related activities is high on the list of an increasing number of workers.

The restaurant community is already enormously generous with its time and resources. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Community Relations Survey 2000, nine out of 10 restaurateurs actively participate in community programs. Eight out of 10 said that “giving back” to their community was the most important reason for participating.

But beyond improving community welfare, philanthropy benefits companies in many ways, including increased employee morale, retention, and performance. A variety of studies show that a company’s community involvement directly influences employees’ feelings about their jobs. When employees positively perceive their company as being committed to charity and community activities, they are more motivated, productive, and loyal—which can mean lower turnover and a better ability to compete for good employees.