the media, are connected to social networks, and do not understand why there is a gap between what is communicated to consumers and the volunteering in the organization itself. As true volunteers, it was important for us to connect the shift on a strategic organizational level internally as well. The brand conveys that volunteering is fun and important, so the company's employees are also going to volunteer. Thus, not only the brand will be promoting the concept, but also the company's employees. I think the project we did together and creating that connection between fun and doing good led to a very interesting and advanced model. The most important thing is the feedback we receive from the youth. I've sat with a few of them, and you just have to hear them get excited about it. We gave them a taste of the volunteering world, which is an experience that transforms a person completely. Ido: In conclusion, to what extent does the issue of volunteering play a strategic move in retaining and recruiting employees? Harel: There is no doubt that the best employees do one of two things internally: volunteer or guide/mentor within the organization. These are employees who provide added value, that when they volunteer, they feel a certain nobility, they manage to mobilize more strengths and force for the benefit of the issue at hand. When they volunteer in the company’s name, it gives them a deep sense of pride, they feel as if they have reinforced the company with their own personal values. This is what leads to employee retention and pride in the organization you work for. As the younger generation enters the workforce and joins the company, they expect that such social activities will be abundant. We think that volunteering is a significant element in providing a sense of belonging within the organization. Whenever we volunteer, we always end up saying: “Wow, we should do this more often”. It is a reality check.
huge windows, the feeling was ambivalent. Eventually, we asked the question: why? And what does Israeli society do? The reactions we witnessed indicated that no one had ever seen such a thing. The number of volunteers who signed up to do good was phenomenal. Ido: If we shift to the employees’ side, the work that was put into the WOW Tour also led to connections surrounding employee volunteering. You are simultaneously going through the process of unifying the corporation, via a merger of 8 companies, in addition to many other of strategic changes. Did volunteering help the process of change and unification? Harel: The concept of employee volunteering has existed in the company for years. The distinction lies between volunteering with a business strategy and volunteering with an organizational strategy. Our employees read
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