If you’re a business owner or manager, you may not have given a lot of thought to what being a chamber member means for your employees, but there are actually a lot of benefits for them as well.
1. Member Discounts
As a member of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, your employees are eligible for exclusive member-2- member discounts, so make sure your employees know about them! This can be a considerable cost savings to your employees and a nice perk you can pass on when someone joins your company. From discounts at local retailers, to savings on home heating oil and exclusive no fee banking options for Chamber Members, these discounts can quickly add up to massive savings! For more information on all the discounts available, click HERE.
2. Employee Benefits
Next to their salary, most employees feel benefit coverage is the most important thing their employer can offer. Chambers Plan Employee Benefits (which is exclusively for businesses who are Chamber Members) can help you attract and keep top talent with wide-ranging benefit options at an affordable price. The Chambers Plan Employee Benefits provides services to firms of all sizes in over 900 Chambers of Commerce across the country. If you aren’t currently taking advantage of this exclusive benefit, talk to a Chamber Representative today to find out more!
3. Educational Opportunities
Chambers frequently host Lunch and Learns and other seminars on topics such as social media and personal branding. These topics can be worthwhile for your employees. You can even use it as a free or inexpensive form of professional development.
Don’t assume your employees know about these perks. Circulate the learning schedule among your employees. This is an effective way to get even more value from your chamber membership. Many younger employees are looking for ways to boost their skills and these sessions are a quick and easy source for learning. Make sure to check out the Chamber Newsletter for upcoming learning opportunities!
4. Networking Opportunities
If you recruit outside of your community and bring people in from other cities or provinces they may wish they knew more people in town. Sure, you can introduce them to other employees but it’s nice for them to get to know people outside your company as well.
For people from your community, the chamber offers them an opportunity to brush up on their networking skills, which is critical to professional development. As employees of a member business, all your employees are eligible for discounted ticket rates to all chamber events.
5. A Chance to Shine
Another benefit of chamber membership for your employees is a golden moment where they can shine. This may be the chamber picking up a social media post of theirs, the chamber accepting a guest blog from them, or a speaking opportunity to showcase what they know. This gives your employees a time to shine as well as represent your company proudly. Additionally, as a member of a Chamber business, they are eligible to be nominated for Chamber Awards, such as the Employee of the Year award, which is a great opportunity for you to acknowledge the hard work of your employees.
Some business owners only use the chamber membership themselves and forget to tell their employees that the Chamber can support them as well. Sharing your Chamber Membership perks with your employees can actually benefit you, by helping attract and retain employees and by helping your business get more exposure out in the community. It not only gets your name out there but shows that your company and company culture think community involvement is important. This is the type of thing that makes a big impression on customers and potential customers who begin to know, like, and trust you when they see you contributing.
In the current economy, employee retention can be difficult. Make sure to leverage your Chamber Membership in order to help attract and retain the best and brightest employees to better support your businesses operations!