How to Build a Culture of Giving Back with Chatter

In our changing world, support for local community resources is more important than ever before. Business leaders are finding new ways to connect with local nonprofits, bring employees together around giving back, and build programs to help meet the needs of their communities.

As you explore new ways to reach out, programmatize donations, organize virtual volunteer efforts, or form local partnerships, remember to engage your entire team. Together, you can foster a culture of giving back that reflects your values and your vision for the future.

So how do you empower your team to brainstorm ideas, plan next steps, and start taking action on community support? Start with Chatter. Chatter is Salesforce’s enterprise social network, which helps businesses easily share expertise, files, and data. All standard Salesforce licenses allow free Chatter access for everyone in your organization. Additional licenses are required to collaborate with external customers or partners. (Learn more.)

Create your giving-back group

First, create a Chatter group to host your team’s conversations about giving back. This group can serve as a central hub for all your giving-back conversations. It’s where you can gather ideas, plan next steps, and celebrate your successes together.

Follow these steps to quickly set up your new group.

1. In Chatter, click the Groups tab.

   • If you don’t see the Groups tab, open the App Launcher and search for groups.

2. On the Groups list page, click New and enter a group name and description.

3. Select an access level for your group.

   • The options are public (all can see), private (only members can see), or unlisted (only members can find).

4. To allow customers or partners to join a private or unlisted group, select Allow Customers.

5. Click Save & Next.

6. If you like, you can upload an image to represent your group. (You can add an image anytime.) Click Next.

7. On the Add Members page, you can search for and add people to your group. (If you do not add members during setup, make a note to add your whole team later.) Click Next.

8. When you’re all set, click Save to complete your setup.

For a more in-depth look at this setup, check out our knowledge article on creating Chatter Groups.

Post your kickoff message

Launch your new group with an encouraging message to your team. Ask them to start sharing ideas for your giving-back programs and let them know this is the best place to have those conversations.

Posting on Chatter is easy. Simply go to your group, click into the “Share an update… ” field, and type your kickoff message. From here you can also attach up to 10 files, link to a Salesforce record, or add some flair to your message with images, text styles, and more. When you’re ready to send, click Share.

Gather ideas, answer questions, share info

As your team explores ideas, check in on the conversation. Respond to great suggestions, bring key concepts together, and answer any questions to help them move forward.

Your feedback can quickly point your team in the right direction, saving you time while providing the right space for ideas to evolve rapidly. And if the conversation needs a kickstart, don’t hesitate to remind your team where to go.

Share a poll to determine what’s next

When a handful of ideas are ready for review, post a poll to have your team vote on their top ideas. This is a great way to engage with team members who have been less vocal during brainstorming.

Creating a poll is similar to making any other post on Chatter. Simply navigate to your new group and select the Poll tab on your new-message box. Enter the question you want to send to the group, including the choices they’ll select from. When you’re ready to share the poll, click Ask.

With your new group ready and Chatter’s simple communication tools at your fingertips, your team can start building momentum for your giving-back programs right away.

Remember to keep your team updated about your progress as these conversations develop. This group is a fantastic place to share your successes, celebrate contributions, and foster a culture of giving back with every interaction.

Additional tips

• Double check your profile before you start posting or creating your group, making sure your photo and info are up to date.

• Collaborate on records in your Salesforce instance by linking to them in your posts. This provides quick access to essential data, so your team can always have an informed conversation.

• Bring in outside contributors securely if you are partnering with other organizations and want to include them in your planning process. Check out our knowledge article on adding and removing customers from Chatter groups.

As you harness the collective power of your team to give back, we want to hear about your experiences! Here’s how to share your story:

1. Post with the hashtag #GiveBackTogether in the Customer Success Community Group, where Salesforce experts and Trailblazers like you share ideas, find answers, and drive success together.

2. Connect with us on Twitter @askSalesforce and post about your success with the hashtag #GiveBackTogether.

Want to learn more?

Join us for a webinar on organizing giving-back efforts. You’ll hear first-hand how a Salesforce employee collaborated with colleagues, connected with supportive leadership, and found ways to support their community. Register Now >