Civics@Work

Civics@Work is a nonpartisan initiative that gives employers the tools and resources they need to elevate civic knowledge, skills, and participation among a workforce that’s 168 million strong, and growing.

Employers play a central role in solving their communities’ biggest challenges. Even in these divisive times, businesses retain high levels of favorability and trust among Americans from all walks of life. As trusted institutions, employers are uniquely positioned to create real, positive impact for their workforce and their communities. Civics@Work helps employers to build bridges and strengthen cooperation in their communities they serve.

Furthermore, Civics@Work helps employees hone civics skills that translate to 21st Century workplace skills, including collaboration, teamwork, problem-solving, negotiation, adaptability, working with people from different backgrounds and ideologies toward a shared goal, and critical thinking, and working with people from different backgrounds and ideologies toward a shared goal.

Through Civics@Work, employers can take simple yet meaningful steps to promote civics among their employees, leading to more productive, supportive workplaces, and more prosperous communities. Increased civics knowledge, skills, and disposition can also contribute to lower levels of polarization and incivility.

Employers elevate civics in the workplace and cultivate a working environment with improved knowledge, skills, and disposition. We’re able to show a measurable increase in civics knowledge and engagement among participating employees.

Economists have found that a healthy democracy is a strong driver of a healthy economy – democratization causes an increase in GDP per capita of between 20% and 25%, according to research. Higher rates of civic participation also correlate to healthier employees, with demonstrated benefits for physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing, and can boost employee satisfaction and retention.

Participating employers, and their employees, will receive educational materials, toolkits, training sessions, and ongoing support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The program is designed to be flexible, allowing businesses of all sizes to integrate nonpartisan civics education and engagement initiatives with minimal disruption. Specific time commitments depend on the extent of participation.

No, that is up to your organization to decide. Every workplace is different, with diverse resources, benefits, and staff, which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Employers may choose to offer extra time off or simply inform employees about using existing paid time off.

Civics@Work is designed to be flexible – not prescriptive – so it is up to each employer to decide how best to launch the programs and share materials internally.

Yes, Civics@Work is highly scalable and beneficial for businesses of all sizes, especially small and midsize businesses.

No, Civics@Work is a nonpartisan initiative aimed at promoting civics knowledge and participation without political bias.

We The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will measure the impact of the programs through employee engagement surveys, feedback from participants, and tracking improvements in civics knowledge and participation rates.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation can provide examples of social media posts and other communications to help you share your efforts with a broader audience.

Civics@Work is a nonpartisan initiative that gives employers the tools and resources they need to elevate civic knowledge, skills, and participation among a workforce that’s 168 million strong, and growing.

The local chamber of commerce acts as a support system for businesses implementing Civics@Work. They provide resources, guidance, and ongoing support to ensure the successful integration of the program.

We believe that employers play a central role in solving their communities’ biggest challenges. Even in these divisive times, businesses retain high levels of favorability and trust among Americans from all walks of life. As trusted institutions, employers are uniquely positioned to create real, positive impact for their workforce and their communities. Through Civics@Work, employers can take simple yet meaningful steps to promote civics among their employees, leading to more productive, supportive workplaces, and more prosperous communities.

By promoting Civics@Work, chambers of commerce can strengthen their role as community leaders and enhance their reputation for supporting local businesses and civic engagement. This can lead to increased membership, stronger community ties, and a more vibrant local economy.

We want to reinvigorate civic life in America, and build a world where working together, treating one another with respect, and participating in the community leads to better outcomes for all. Through Civics@Work, we’ll create a future in which workplaces elevate civics and cultivate an environment enriched with improved knowledge, skills, and disposition. As we will see an increase in civic knowledge and engagement, we will begin to see polarization decline. Chambers of commerce play a crucial role in supporting these goals by promoting the initiative and facilitating its adoption within their communities.

Empirical research shows that a strong, civically-engaged workforce has significant economic benefits for specific companies and the business environment at large. Economists have found that a healthy democracy is a strong driver of a healthy economy – democratization causes an increase in GDP per capita of between 20% and 25%. Higher rates of civic participation also correlate to healthier employees, with demonstrated benefits for physical, psychological, and emotional wellbeing. Chambers of Commerce support this economic impact by advocating for the initiative and conveying the importance of integrating civics into workplace culture.

Employers often (understandably) worry about potential risks. However, participating in Civics@Work is risk-free. Research has shown that American consumers overwhelmingly don’t make purchasing decisions based on a company’s political or social activities – 42% said it has no bearing, and an additional 24% say product price/quality is more important, compared to just 6% who do consider these initiatives. This means the program is safe in the medium- and long-term, as this type of nonpartisan civic engagement and activity has a near-zero chance of negatively impacting the consumption decisions of your customers.

Chambers of commerce have access to a variety of resources including promotional materials, educational content, training sessions, and ongoing support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as well as their local chamber of commerce. These resources can be used to effectively promote the initiative and assist businesses in their implementation efforts. Civics@Work is designed to be a turn-key program, making it easy for Chambers and businesses to adopt and integrate into their existing operations without requiring significant additional effort.

Civics@Work is highly scalable and beneficial for businesses of all sizes, especially small and midsize businesses.

No, Civics@Work is a nonpartisan initiative aimed at promoting civics knowledge and participation without political bias.

Success can be measured through metrics such as the number of participating businesses, employee engagement surveys, feedback from participants, and tracking improvements in civics knowledge and participation rates.

Widespread adoption of Civics@Work can lead to a more informed and engaged workforce, stronger community ties, and a healthier business environment. Over time, this can contribute to greater social cohesion, reduced polarization, and a more robust local economy.