Q: Missy Peck: Thank you for joining us today. Kenrick, you mentioned that HR supports matching in pro bono programs, and you do as well. From an employee perspective, what considerations are there for making a good match?

A: Kenrick Fraser: Great question. For our pro bono projects, we have some requirements to ensure meaningful engagement:

• Employees need at least seven years of experience in the specific subject matter. For example, if a project involves building a budget model, participants must have at least seven years of finance experience, including prior experience outside of PayPal.
  
• All employees must apply to participate in the pro bono program. Through communications, we clearly set expectations that not every employee will get matched with a nonprofit project. This ensures both employees and nonprofits have a positive, impactful experience.
  
• We avoid mass recruitment for projects. Instead, HR shares information about employee skill sets and sends targeted invitations based on project needs. For example:
  
  • If there are 50 pro bono projects in New York and three require finance expertise, we only invite employees with relevant finance skills.
    
  • This targeted approach ensures the right talent is in the room and maximizes impact for the nonprofit.
    

Q: Missy Peck: So, thoughtful invitations based on verified skills, clear expectation-setting, and a “job application” approach to volunteering help anchor employee commitment. That makes a lot of sense. Mallory, how do you decide which employee skills to leverage in skills-based programs?

A: Speaker 3, Mallory Burke: We take a slightly different approach. While anyone using our products can volunteer, we also encourage employees to self-identify skills they want to contribute. Key points:

• We recently launched an internal program rewarding employees who use their skills independently in volunteering projects.
  
• Two main pillars currently guide our skills-based volunteering:
  
  • Ask an Atlassian: Employees support others using their product expertise.
    
  • Future of Work: Employees mentor young people through career coaching programs.
    
• We are still exploring self-serve pro bono options to allow employees more autonomy while ensuring impact.
  
• Rewards and recognition are automated:
  
  • Skills are tracked via tagging (e.g., coaching or nonprofit board participation).
    
  • Frequent contributors unlock benefits such as donation funds, manager recognition, branded materials, and community perks.
    

Q: Missy Peck: That’s a really innovative, gamified approach. Mallory, what governance structure works best for managing skills-based initiatives for global teams?

A: Speaker 3, Mallory Burke: A centralized oversight model is most effective:

• Our program sets global strategy, policies, and standards for volunteering.
  
• Reporting has improved significantly, allowing us to track employee participation, engagement, and skills development across 900 employees globally.
  
• Core nonprofit partners provide consistency, but employees are also free to volunteer with approved organizations of their choice.
  

Q: Missy Peck: Madie asked how employees are rewarded. Can you elaborate?

A: Speaker 3, Mallory Burke: Sure. Our rewards system is hierarchical and automated:

• Employees receive recognition for repeated engagement using their skills.
  
• For example, volunteering five or more times with a nonprofit unlocks rewards like:
  
  • Donation funds
    
  • Manager recognition messages
    
  • Branded Zoom backgrounds
    
  • Access to a moderated Slack community
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• The system highlights core contributors and encourages sustained participation in skills-based volunteering.
  

Q: Missy Peck: Kenrick, could you share how PayPal structures skills-based pro bono programs globally?

A: Kenrick Fraser: Absolutely. Key elements for scaling programs across 23 countries include:

• Framework for Global Consistency:
  
  • Centralized scoping of nonprofit projects to align with employee skills.
    
  • Centralized matching managed by HR and program leads.
    
• Local Execution Support:
  
  • Volunteer ambassadors manage on-the-ground delivery.
    
  • Local nonprofit partnerships are critical to ensure community impact.
    
  • Selection criteria ensure nonprofits have the capacity and flexibility to collaborate effectively.
    
• Coaching and Mentoring:
  
  • Global coaching partners like the Shreve Blair Foundation for Women and the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship deliver consistent programs locally.
    

Q: Missy Peck: How do you measure the impact of skills-based volunteering for both community and employees?

A: Kenrick Fraser & Missy Peck: Measurement is twofold:

• Community Impact:
  
  • Qualitative Impact: Track lives impacted and define project-specific metrics.
    
  • Strategic Recommendations Value: Evaluate which solutions nonprofits implement, six months to a year later.
    
  • Professional Time Value: Calculate the cost savings nonprofits receive from employee expertise.
    
• Employee Development:
  
  • Skills and Competency Growth: Managers and employees report on skill development.
    
  • Career Advancement: Compare participants vs. non-participants to measure the effect on promotions or opportunities.
    
  • Engagement and Retention: Assess participation trends and employee satisfaction through net promoter scores and recurring volunteering.
    

Q: Missy Peck: How do you leverage storytelling to communicate impact?

A: Kenrick Fraser: Storytelling is essential to inspire engagement and demonstrate value:

• Collect feedback immediately and six months post-project to measure the adoption of recommended tools or strategies.
  
• Employees participate in pitch competitions internally to showcase projects and learnings.
  
• Pitch competitions serve dual purposes:
  
  • Presenting to senior leaders enhances employee communication and presentation skills.
    
  • Grants awarded through pitches directly support the small businesses involved.
    

A: Missy Peck: Storytelling adds depth beyond surface-level metrics. Sharing the societal challenge, volunteer response, and tangible impact encourages both skills-based volunteers and new participants to engage in corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Q: Missy Peck: Can you give examples of skills-based volunteering projects?

A: Kenrick Fraser & Missy Peck: Examples include:

• Helping nonprofits with data privacy policies.
  
• Developing marketing collateral and social media strategies.
  
• Conducting STEM and AI workshops for students.
  
• Resume reviews, mock interview workshops, or speed mentoring sessions.
  
• UX/UI hackathons to improve nonprofit websites, enhancing donor engagement and beneficiary communication.
  

Q: Missy Peck: Any final thoughts on creating meaningful, scalable skills-based employee volunteering programs?

A: Kenrick Fraser & Mallory Burke:

• Thoughtful matching ensures employees’ skills align with project needs.
  
• Clear expectation-setting manages both employee and nonprofit participation.
  
• Centralized oversight combined with local execution enables global scalability.
  
• Recognizing and rewarding employee contributions sustains engagement.
  
• Measuring impact for both community and employees ensures continuous improvement and storytelling effectiveness.
  

Missy Peck: Thank you both for sharing your expertise and experiences. This provides a comprehensive guide for organizations seeking to implement or improve employee volunteering programs, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and global skills-based projects.