The Impact of Philanthropic Initiatives on Employee Engagement and Retention in Quebec SMEs

Justification of research project

Philanthropic initiatives in the workplace are playing an increasingly significant role in organizational practices in Quebec, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Beyond their social and community impact, these initiatives are increasingly viewed as potential drivers of organizational engagement and employee retention, in a context marked by persistent challenges in workforce mobilization and labor shortages.

This collaborative research, conducted in partnership with the Nooé Foundation, aimed to design a conceptual and methodological study examining the impact of perceived organizational philanthropic initiatives on organizational commitment and employees’ intention to stay in Quebec SMEs.

The conceptual findings highlight the central role of employee perceptions in the mechanisms studied. When philanthropic initiatives are perceived as coherent, authentic, and aligned with organizational values, they are likely to strengthen organizational commitment and positively influence retention intentions. Conversely, perceptions of instrumentalization or incoherence can limit, or even neutralize, their internal effects.

Research question

What are the causal relationships between perceived philanthropic initiatives, affective organizational commitment, and employees’ intention to stay in the context of Quebec SMEs?

Research purpose

This project explores the ideological and practical foundations of organizational philanthropic initiatives as perceived by employees of Quebec SMEs.

The project constructs a causal conceptual model in which perceived philanthropic initiatives influence affective organizational commitment and intention to stay, with organizational commitment also influencing intention to stay. The model thus integrates perceptions of organizational practices, internal psychological states, and attitudinal intentions, in accordance with the theoretical frameworks employed and the measurement instruments selected.

Research approach

The project proposes a mixed-methods research design that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches within an integrated methodological framework. The use of mixed methods allows for the complementary mobilization of the respective strengths of qualitative and quantitative approaches to enrich the understanding of a complex organizational phenomenon

Phase 1 (Fall 2025 – Winter 2026) – Literature review and qualitative exploratory phase

Phase 2 (to be determined) – Quantitative analysis