Capital One appointed Girish Bachani as its Collin County market president in February. Responsible for the design, development and implementation of an integrated

community strategy, Bachani is also at the helm of Capital One’s community outreach programs taking place throughout Plano.

The Place-Based Initiative launched in 2014 and contributes $240,000 annually to revitalization projects in east Plano. Associates work with community leaders and nonprofits to educate and assist in small-business development and financial well-being.

What is Capital One’s place-based initiative?

We’ll be helping teach math as well as helping Habitat for Humanity and Plano Family Literacy. We dedicated a house [through] Habitat for Humanity [in March]. We’re [also] part of the Girls and Boys Clubs [of Collin County] and we have a leader who is on their board. We have volunteers teaching adults and kids through Plano Family Literacy. We’re also working very closely with the mayor [and his] summer internship program.

Plano will become an even better place over time, and these kids will stay in Plano and hopefully will become candidates for Capital One in the future.

Do you feel like today’s workplace is changing and how?

I think the workplace is changing everywhere. Every company is trying to attract the best talent. The competition is intense. There are so many opportunities for people [here in Plano]. For Capital One to keep our employees, we have to keep them happy and satisfied. It’s the whole package. It’s the little things that matter even more and community [outreach] is a big part [of what we do].

What makes Capital One’s outreach unique?

This is how we think about it: No. 1 is the monetary support, the second is leadership and the third is the volunteers. Last year we had about 23,000 [volunteer] hours. Leadership [is also] a crucial piece because you are working with the nonprofits and you are providing that guidance. You are getting their name out there in the community.

Our leaders serve on boards [such as] for Habitat for Humanity, the Boys and Girls Clubs [of Collin County], the Samaritan Inn [and] the Hendrick Foundation.

Do you feel that these programs help enrich your associates’ productivity?

Absolutely. They’re going out there and are teaching kids, and that is so refreshing. When they come back they’re going to be so motivated [and] energized that they’re going to do much better work.

We benefit from these activities in big ways and I feel our associates are much happier. [Our] attrition rates are a lot lower and that saves a lot of money.

So the money that we are spending in the community, I feel that we are recouping that in different ways.