Tata Coffee has given a new explication to the acronym WFH – Work from Heart. It is a programme for Tata Coffee employees to volunteer for a noble cause, and avail the opportunity to give it back to the society.
Till date, more than 5000 of the 6000 plus employees of Tata Coffee have volunteered for this programme, and interestingly, they have been joined by their families as well in this noble cause.
As per this programme – Work from Heart – Tata Coffee employees get the opportunity to work in the areas of education, employability, health and environment.
What makes this programme unique is that it includes activities based on the current needs and demands of the society. For instance, it could be as simple as making cotton balls at home for the Indian Cancer Society or sending audio clips of short stories to children who have no proper access to education.
According to Rajinie Singh, lead, CSR & sustainability, Tata Coffee, such activities are very helpful in keeping employees happy at work, because the very act of spreading smiles and happiness in the community makes them feel happy and content from within.
“In fact, I have seen that the new generation is very specific about choosing the firm they want to work for. They evaluate employers on the basis of volunteering opportunity they provide for community services,” Singh shares with HRKatha.
She believes that such practices also help engage employees and connect them to the larger purpose of the Company.
What makes this programme inclusive is that even senior leaders volunteer for these activities, which inspires each and every employee of the firm to join in enthusiastically.
Singh shares that even the CEO is proactive when it comes to lending support to the cause.
This urge to give back to the society and the environment is something that is in the Tata DNA. Tata Engage, the volunteering arm of the Tata Group, under the Tata Sustainability Group, has come up with the theme of ‘Shatter the status quo’ this year. Tata Coffee has adopted the Tata Group’s theme of volunteering as ‘Work From Heart’. Despite people being forced to work from home due to the pandemic raging outside, the Tata Group is still making efforts to give back to the society by virtually and physically participating in volunteering programmes.
“At Tata, we believe in empowering people to think about the common good, which also helps them to become great human beings in life,” concludes Singh.