Q2 People: Leveraging Digital Solutions to Help Q2 Team Members Strengthen Communities

Q2 was founded on the belief that digital solutions could do more than provide convenient and secure banking experiences. Founder H.R. Seale, III set out to create a company that leverages the power of digital solutions to build stronger communities by strengthening their financial institutions (FIs). Now, this mission is more important than ever as community FIs work to provide seamless support during the coronavirus pandemic and create strategies for the undefined future.

Similarly, the Q2 team makes use of helpful digital solutions that strengthen our internal community and the communities our locations call home.

Internal recognition and external giving

Q2 leverages an internal web app, YouEarnedIt powered by Kazoo, to enable team members to send recognition to each other for jobs well done. Not only is recognition displayed in a scrolling format for the entire company to see, employees receive YouEarnedIt points.

Giving back in meaningful ways

Team members can redeem these points for an array of gift cards, or they can reinvest these points with a dozen relevant charitable organizations, including:

• Black Girls Code
  
  Black Girls CODE is a grassroots organization which provides young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up.
• Resource Center
  
  Resource Center is a trusted leader that empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and wellness, strengthening families and communities and providing transformative education and advocacy.
• Direct Relief
  
  Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.

An internal tool for community service

In addition to YouEarnedIt, Q2 team members utilize Qmmunity powered by YourCause, a helpful, collaborative internal community service tool. To enhance team members’ volunteer efforts, Q2 makes a donation to organizations that employees give their time to. For every two hours given, Q2 matches the effort by donating $50 to the charitable organization. Teams can get in on the act too, earning $500 for an organization when ten employees donate a cumulative 20 hours.

Virtual volunteerism

For health and safety reasons related to COVID-19 and in line with guidance to encourage social distancing, Q2 encourages team members to pivot to virtual volunteer opportunities, including:

• United Nations online volunteering program
  
  The UN runs a virtual volunteer program offers 100 opportunities to make a difference from home.
• The American Red Cross
  
  During times of disaster, the Red Cross utilizes digital volunteers to monitor online discussions to find people who need help.
• The Smithsonian Institution
  
  The Smithsonian Institution offers virtual volunteer opportunities to help with two significant projects: transcribing historical documents and updating relevant Wikipedia pages.

Learn more about Q2’s culture of giving and organizations we work with to make a difference in communities.