Vivint Gives Back Research Employee Focus

Presented by: Kaitlin Millard, Caroline Slater, Jon Hart, Trevor Carver, Jessica Godfrey and Amy Christensen Comms 485 Dr. Robert Wakefield February 21, 2014

Background Research
Purpose
Vivint Gives Back is the corporate social responsibility arm of Vivint, Inc. This arm of the company is planning a new outreach program geared toward families dealing with autism. Our team was tasked with determining how to most effectively roll out the program to employees while producing high participation and excitement levels for the project.

Introduction
Vivint Gives Back is Vivints 501(c)3 charity organization, founded in 2008 and funded by the Vivint Family Foundation. The organization aims to help employees and owners of Vivint, Inc. become involved in serving their communities by contributing time, money and volunteer hours. Vivint Gives Back employees are in charge of assuring that Vivint is socially responsible. Nearly 6,500 Vivint employees donated 50,000 hours of service and $3 million in the last year through the Vivint Gives Back program. In 2011 the project donated $1.25 million to nonprofit organizations in the United States and Canada and received a SAMMY award from Security Sales & Integration magazine for Best Community Outreach Program. There are many benefits of corporate social responsibility. They include but are not limited to: increased job satisfaction among employees and a better image for the company, new clients and new investors. Of particular interest for our key publics is a 2012 Net Impact survey which found that 53 percent of workers said, a job where I can make an impact was important to their happiness. Additionally, 72 percent of students about to enter the workforce agreed.

Autism Research
Autism
According to a recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 88 children in the United States are affected by autism. That number is up 23 percent from the CDCs 2009 report. However, the numbers in Utah are even higher. One in every no47 children are deemed autistic in Utah, giving the state the highest rate in the country. Symptoms Between the ages of 18 and 24 months, children with autism will stop learning new skills or lose some skills they have gained. Various types of autistic developmental brain disorders are referred to under an umbrella reference known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD are found in all races, ethnicities and socioeconomic groups. ASD has a variety of symptoms including: delayed speech and language, eye-contact avoidance, desire to be alone, hand

flapping, body rocking or spinning. It is also not uncommon for those struggling with ASD to give unrelated answers to questions and to get upset about minor changes in routine. A finding that will be of particular interest to Vivint was found in a recent online survey conducted by the National Autism Association (NAA). It reported that 92 percent of responding parents said that their children were at risk of wandering. The security implications are enormous. It is important to note that not all affected with ASD exhibit identical behaviors. Those diagnosed with ASD fall within a spectrum that includes: Autistic Disorder. People with autistic disorder usually have significant language delays, social and communication challenges, and unusual behaviors and interests. Many people with autistic disorder also have intellectual disability. Asperger Syndrome. People with Asperger Syndrome have milder symptoms of autistic disorder that generally include social challenges and unusual behaviors and interests. However, they typically do not have problems with language or intellectual disability. Many have unusually high intellectual abilities. Pervasive Developmental Disorder. They will usually have fewer and milder symptoms than those with autistic disorder, with symptoms possibly including social and communication challenges. Family Situation The average cost of providing for a child with ASD throughout their life is $2.3 million in the U.S. The average cost for providing for a child without ASD is only $1.4 million. As an example of extra costs, parents of children with ASD often use secure deadbolts locks that require keys on both sides, extra home security alarms, hooks and eye locks on doors or cabinets inside the home, secure fencing for their yards, and medical ID bracelets or personal tracking devices for their ASD child/young adult. Resources There are organizations in the U.S. that provide assistance and funding for ASD related issues and programs. Autism Speaks is a national organization that has three different grant opportunities each year in which awards up to $5,000 are given to various offices, schools and organizations which aim to better families understanding of, and ability to deal with, autism. Within the state, the Autism Council of Utah will provide funding of up to $5,000 (and possibly more based on availability of funds) to programs, initiatives, research or projects that support their mission statement. Utah also has 22 support groups, six online support groups, seven local autism organizations, and three state and local resource guides. The issue of autism is currently at the forefront of state government hot topics. The Utah legislature recently tried to pass laws making insurance coverage for children with autism easier to obtain. 3

Other Research
In reviewing data from the other focus groups, we learned that people in the autistic community would be interested in a free trial to see whether Vivints technology would actually be of benefit to their families. They warned that autistic children should not be underestimated; that they could figure out how to turn the security system on and off or find their way into locked cabinets. One potential barrier Vivint might run into is, home renters will not always have the option of installing cameras and other Vivint technology where they live. Some members of the survey group were also worried about the cost. Vivint plans to subsidize the cost as part of its program, though we are unsure at this point in time to what extent.

Vivint Gives Back Focus Group

While conducting our employee focus group we discovered that Vivint Gives Back means something different to corporate employees than it does to field employees, due to the fact that they are involved with the program in different ways. While corporate employees recalled participating in annual in-state projects such as Sub For Santa and Feed My Children, field employees were more likely to do larger-scale (even international) one-time projects like hurricane clean-up. Corporate employees usually hear about the larger-scale projects once they are already underway or finished because Vivints CSR department will email photos or project videos to employees. This has caused a little friction in the past because corporate employees believe they arent given the same opportunities to participate to the same extent as the field representatives. One of our focus group participants said he wished he could leave the office to participate in a Vivint Gives Back program and expressed hope that Vivint could find ways to coordinate work schedules so that employees could cover one anothers jobs or departments, allowing more people to get involved. Our focus group of Vivint employees uncovered findings in three main categories: (1) employee involvement, (2) transparency and (3) communication. Employee Involvement

Employees from all levels and departments expressed three main points concerning Vivint Gives Back: (1) desire to participate, (2) international and local opportunities and (3) involvement flexibility.
Desire to Participate

Employees have an overwhelming desire to participate in hands-on service through Vivint Gives Back. Some employees feel that their involvement in the program is contingent upon what 4

division of the organization they are in. For example, the international service opportunities are more accessible to sales and field representatives due to the nature and location of their work, while corporate employees are less inclined to hear about or have the time and financial resources to participate in the international Vivint Gives Back service opportunities. Mostly the sales reps get to go on the trips, many technicians don't even get to go on the trips, one employee said. Another employee said, I want more opportunities for everyone in the company. Some teams cant participate in certain aspects of Vivint Gives Back. Id love to see projects where we can all work on services. As Vivint provides opportunities for employees at all levels and in all divisions to get involved in a unifying project, employee loyalty and satisfaction will be improved.
International and Local Opportunities

Many employees agree that international and local service opportunities are both welcome. If there were some kind of processes where the two (international or local projects) were able to come together I think that would be excellent, one employee said. Employees want to get involved with the different (hands-on) projects that are going on with Vivint Gives Back, because it just gives an opportunity to volunteer, (and to) be involved in the community, explained another. When presented with the idea of discontinuing the other programs and moving forward with serving one target group, employees expressed disapproval. I think people would be sad if you cut out all the little things to focus on one big program, said one. Another employee noted, I think one target group with a company seems like it makes it easier for them as far as marketing and showing what we are doing but if I wasn't able to get involved with some of the things I want to through Vivint Gives Back, then that would be a little disheartening. These comments seem to reflect a desire to keep various existing projects that are meaningful to employees, while finding a way to provide another unifying and universal way to be involved.
Involvement Flexibility

Employees also expressed a desire to give service through financial means. One employee explained, Sometimes, really good projects dont need manpower and so it doesnt give us an opportunity to volunteer. But its nice to be able to then see what is being done. Another employee said, Its nice to know that the money that Vivint Gives Back is using, is being used for quality, good projects. Overall, employees appreciate the opportunity to have an influence for good, I love seeing how the projects impact the people involved with them, an employee said. Transparency Employees want to see more transparency with the Vivint Gives Back program. They want more information concerning (1) how money is used and (2) the results of their efforts.

Use of Money

One employee said, If we raised a million dollars for a project, Id like to know that $900,000 went to the intended people, and not $500,000 went towards travel and t-shirts. another individual thought along similar lines, wondering whether the purpose of the t-shirts was to look cool rather than support the community. The first employee continued, When I see stuff that I feel isnt as efficient as it could be or the best use of everyones time or money, then that frustrates me. And continuing that point, I pinch pennies on every one of my projects, so I just wonder, when things arent transparent, I think thats just the natural reaction. All employees participating in the focus group echoed these sentiments. Vivint employees want to know that fund-raised money is going to the places where it will be most helpful. They feel the need to be good stewards of the resources given to them. When they see what they believe is waste, it causes negative reactions.
Results of Efforts

Vivint employees also want more transparency when it comes to the specific results of the Vivint Gives Back program. They feel that knowledge will help employees have more faith that participation in the program will actually make a difference in the community, thereby increasing their perceived value of the program. One employee said, We need more measurement on the results of all these efforts that we put out because it doesnt seem like anybody is getting that or getting a feel for what all these efforts result in. Another participant questioned the root purpose of the Vivint Gives Back program. He said that he sometimes feels that the programs purpose is to . . . help Vivint look cool and our hearts arent really in it. We pat ourselves on the back, watch a video and go back to work. There is no call to action. Communication Employees believe that communication needs to be improved in two particular ways: (1) communication concerning upcoming events and (2) communication concerning past events.
Upcoming Events

Many of the employees stated they felt out of the loop when it came to Vivint Gives Back projects and only heard about projects after the fact. One participant said, Id like to see more effort put forth on the communication and organizing [of] these projects to make sure we get [the] 100 percent full value that we can from our employees. The employees also believe that timely communication will increase employee participation. If there was more communication about the focus and how we are partnered up with certain groups, I think that with the culture here, youd have just a tremendous participation rate, and it would just blow up, said one employee.

Past Events

Employees also expressed a desire to be more fully informed about past Vivint Gives Back projects and the positive impact that they had. We want to see the results, one participant said. If we created a program for autism, for example, we would be able to see we are helping these people out with our equipment and this is what is happening because of it, or this is how we helped their lifestyle because we changed their lives, and be able to see that on a continual basis. We all agree that we need that.

Public Profiles
Field Employees
The majority of field employees are males between the ages of 22-27, and are often Latter-day Saints and/or from Utah. They will often recruit others to work for Vivint among their friends. This group already participates in the Vivint Gives Back program in projects that happen most often outside of Utah and that include the larger-scale, international projects. These international trips are sometimes in the form of rewards for summer sales performance. Field representatives will donate accounts which the company then matches in order to help fund and send them on a humanitarian trip. This group sells and install security systems throughout the United States. They are key in unifying the program. The way that these outreach projects have been communicated to corporate employees in the past has caused some discontent, and a solution to this communication problem is of paramount importance.

Corporate Employees
The majority of corporate employees reside in Utah County. They are 20-55 years-old, and almost evenly split between male and female. Many are LDS and have obtained bachelor degrees from Utah Valley University or Brigham Young University. They work at Vivint because they see opportunities for growth within the company, which has built up a lot of momentum in the last few years. Some are a little wary of Vivints not-always-positive image among Utahns, which they believe comes from field employee stereotypes. Corporate employees are an ambitious, motivated group that want to increase profits and prove their value to the company.

Vivint Managers
Vivint managers are ambitious and focused on leading successful teams and contributing to the bottom line. They are goal and detail oriented while focused on providing their teams with the resources that will facilitate ultimate success. Managers play a role in encouraging employees to follow corporate policies and participate in Vivint Gives Back.

Current Beneficiaries of Vivint Gives Back

In the past Vivint Gives Back has worked to give service alongside the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, the United Way, Feed My Starving Children, as well as various other organizations across the U.S. Collectively, these efforts have involved well over 1,100 employee volunteers--not including field employee volunteers. These organizations seek to serve various communities. These partnering organizations need volunteers and donations in order to do that. As Vivint seeks to provide more opportunities for corporate and field employees to get involved in Vivint Gives Back programs, evaluating potential tie-ins and alignment possibilities with these organizations will become important assessments. If these organizations cannot provide more hands-on projects, Vivint may need to focus Vivint Gives Back efforts on different organizations that can.

Spouses of Vivint Employees

The spouses of Vivint employees are generally aged between 20 and 55. The majority of them live in Utah County. They have an interest in seeing their spouse happy at work because if they are happier at work, they will be happy at home. They are interested in their spouse having secure employment.

SWOT Analysis
Based on this research, we created a SWOT concerning the Vivint Gives Back Program and their opportunity to engage the autistic community.

Weaknesses
Our research has identified five major weaknesses related to the Vivint Gives Back program: (1) there is a lack of unity among Vivint employees, (2) the Vivint Gives Back program lacks transparency with its dispersion of funds and results in employee frustration, (3) Vivint Gives Back project opportunities are poorly communicated, (4) corporate employees believe the nature of the Vivint Gives Back program is exclusive of them and (5) there is a perception that the Vivint Gives Back Program is about t-shirts and travel - looking cool - and not about making a difference in the community.

Threats
These weaknesses lead to a number of specific threats to the Vivint Gives Back program and the company as a whole: (1) increased friction and resentment between groups of employees that are able to fully participate in the Vivint Gives Back Program and those who are not, resulting in

lower employee loyalty and job satisfaction, (2) Vivint Gives Back funds wasted on programs that do not have a strategically oriented return on investment, and (3) the Vivint Gives Back Program will irreparably alienate the very employees that should be their greatest advocates. Even with these weaknesses and threats, however, a number of Vivint strengths create some tantalizing opportunities.

Strengths
Vivint and Vivint Gives Back have a number of inherent strengths: (1) employees are passionate about giving back to the community and want to be involved, (2) Vivint is committed to the success of the Vivint Gives Back Program and (3) Vivint is a recognizable brand.

Opportunities
These strengths, lead to a number of opportunities for Vivint and Vivint Gives Back. And in conjunction with the autism outreach program, they can: (1) serve as a catalyst for employee unification, (2) incorporate Vivint products and services into the Vivint Gives Back program, (3) increase transparency, (4) improve communication, (5) foster increased loyalty and job satisfaction among employees and (6) genuinely serve a community with significant needs.

Situation Analysis
Vivint Gives Back is perceived by the companys employees as both inspiring and frustrating. The companys existing CSR projects do not have high employee involvement. Opportunity type, transparency and communication seem to be areas of weakness for creating employee buyin. As Vivint Gives Back engages in its autism outreach program, the new focus can be used as a catalyst to increase employee loyalty and job satisfaction. This presents the opportunity for Vivint to rally and unify employees with a cause that may be more relatable to them because of the acute local need and which allows greater satisfaction because results will be more visible and closer to home. Vivint needs to understand how the companys products can best serve the autism community while revitalizing their CSR image with their own employees through education and increased involvement. Vivint faces a few obstacles in capitalizing on this opportunity. First, the current methods of communication have not been effective in informing employees how to become involved in future service opportunities, nor have past results been widely known or understood. Second, the Vivint Gives Back program is not viewed as being transparent by employees, thereby reducing incentive for employee buy-in. Finally, in order for the autism outreach program to be an effective catalyst, employees must become more-fully informed as to the current lifestyle restrictions families with autistic children experience and how this program can transform their lives for the better. 9

Core Opportunity
Vivint has the opportunity to increase employee loyalty and job satisfaction and company image by including all employees in autism and other outreach programs; if Vivint fails to capitalize on this opportunity, employees will remain disunified, few will participate, and Vivint will lose the chance to improve employee loyalty and satisfaction as well as its corporate image.

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