Webinar Recap: Building Community — Belonging and Effectively Engaging Employees in 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, social impact leaders are navigating big questions: How do we build community when teams are scattered across the globe? What does belonging look like in 2025? And how can we empower employees to connect with causes they care about—no matter where they are?

In our latest webinar, Veronica Martinez, Community Relations Specialist at global tech leader TD SYNNEX, joined Kristian Toland, Senior Product Manager at Deed, for an interactive discussion on how companies can foster inclusive cultures and empower employees to drive impact in a changing world.

Why Belonging Matters—For People and the Bottom Line

Belonging isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s foundational to employee wellbeing and business performance. According to Harvard Business Review, when employees feel connected to their workplace, the ripple effect is significant:

• 56% increase in job performance
  
  
• 50% drop in turnover risk
  
  
• 75% fewer sick days per employee
  
  
• Companies in the top quartile for executive gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform on profitability
  
  
• And for a company with 10,000 employees, investing in belonging could translate into $52 million in annual savings
  
  

In other words: fostering a culture of inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic advantage. As HBR research highlights, employee belonging drives morale, retention, productivity, and bottom-line results.

Four Strategies to Build Belonging and Engagement

1. Reframe how you talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion
   Many Deed partners are evolving their language to keep programs alive and globally relevant—opting for inclusive, unifying language like “belonging” that resonates across regions.
   
   
2. Empower grassroots impact with flexible tools
   Employee resource groups (ERGs), self-led events, and ambassador programs help employees take ownership of impact. Deed’s flexible community tools and admin roles make it easy for employees to create events and connect with peers globally.
   
   
3. Leverage integrated tech for connection and visibility
   From mobile apps to integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams, Deed’s tools help meet employees where they are. Veronica shared how TD SYNNEX used Deed and Goodera to organize meaningful virtual volunteering across 100+ countries, syncing global campaigns with employee-led action.
   
   
4. Celebrate and share stories of impact
   With Deed features like Impact Unwrapped, virtual badges, and the new Actions Library, companies can highlight employee efforts in fun, gamified, and shareable ways—driving visibility and pride in doing good.

From Intern to Global Leader: A Fireside Chat with Veronica Martinez

Veronica shared TD SYNNEX’s journey—from a 2021 merger and rebrand to launching a global community relations program powered by Deed in 2023.

She emphasized the importance of:

• Virtual volunteering to connect a hybrid workforce
  
  
• Community groups like “green teams” that bring employees together around shared passions like sustainability, fostering global connection and collaboration across regions
  
  
• Using data from Deed to tell holistic stories of impact—including the importance of tracking in-kind giving like food and school supply drives
  
  

She also encouraged a grassroots-first approach, where coworkers aren’t just participants in social impact campaigns and events—they’re co-creators. “That’s how we define inclusion,” Veronica shared. “Coworkers aren’t just joining—they’re helping decide how we make an impact.”

What’s Next

From Deed’s ImpactAI-powered campaign creation tools to a growing Actions Library, expanded badging and recognition features, and integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams, Deed continues to evolve to help companies meet employees where they are—with tools that make giving back easier, faster, and more personal.

Whether you're just getting started or scaling a global program, this webinar offers a blueprint for building connection and belonging—one employee-led moment at a time.