Why Employers Should Incorporate Volunteer Programs in the Workplace
Some people think workplace volunteering is a waste of time. Here’s why they're wrong:
Workplace volunteer programs have been shown to boost employee wellness and job performance. In fact, employees who work at companies with volunteer programs are five times more engaged in their work than those at companies who don’t offer volunteer programs.
Volunteering ,then, isn’t just for the good of charity causes but for the good of your company’s success too.
Employers, don’t miss out on these benefits; instead, let’s talk about the ways in which you can see these gains in your company while also contributing to great causes. This blog discusses:
- What volunteer programs are
- How volunteer programs benefit wellness and job performance
- How Frankly can help
What Are Volunteer Programs?
Workplace volunteer programs are corporate initiatives that encourage their employees to volunteer for various charities and causes. The purpose of these programs is to make the company and its employees more involved in the community through making a positive impact.
These programs are typically related to an idea called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This is the company goal to consider social, environmental, and ethical concerns in their workplace and to contribute to community wellness. CSR is based on the concept that companies have a social responsibility that surpasses just contributing to the job market.
Volunteer programs are a way for companies to show their commitment to CSR by actively giving back to the community through volunteer work.
These programs can be formatted in various ways. Some of these formats include:
- Volunteer time off (VTO)
This is a paid time off program that allows employees to use workdays to volunteer while still getting paid for their time. This is a beneficial formatting because it incentivizes employees to volunteer because they don’t have to sacrifice their own time or resources to do so.
This can be offered based on either a set number of hours per year or a flexible schedule.
- Team volunteer events
Volunteer programs can also be executed through team events in which employees volunteer together as a group. This is an effective style of program because the employees feel more comfortable putting themselves in new volunteering situations when they are with colleagues with whom they are familiar.
- Skill-based volunteering
This is especially beneficial for the community organizations because the organizations can have access to knowledge that they were previously unaware of such as advertising, financial management, grant writing, etc. This is also good for the employees because they get to exercise and strengthen their professional skills and gain confidence in their abilities.
The Benefits of Volunteering
With the context of volunteer programs and their various formats in mind, we can discuss why it is important for companies to implement volunteer programs.
As mentioned earlier, company volunteerism isn’t just good for the community but also for the company itself. Here are 5 ways that volunteer programs increase employee wellness and, therefore, company success.
- Teamwork
Volunteer programs, especially ones that involve team volunteering events, foster communication and collaboration with the volunteering team. This is because the team must communicate in order to collaborate efforts, allocate resources, and solve problems.
When employees volunteer together, they utilize the communications skills that they gained in the workplace in a new environment. Because of this, they can strengthen their skills by applying them to unfamiliar circumstances that require them to collaborate in new ways.
The employees can then take these improved skills back to the workplace, thus increasing daily teamwork.
- Morale boost
When employees volunteer, it increases their sense of belonging in their community because they are active contributors to community wellbeing. Because of this, it is common for them to feel a heightened sense of purpose due to the fact that they are engaged with something bigger than themselves.
This new sense of meaning often leads to boosted motivation and engagement in the workplace. This is beneficial to the company as a whole because this typically results in increased productivity and profitability.
In addition, having more motivated, engaged employees will contribute to a more positive work environment in which everyone can feel happy and satisfied.
If you're interested in learning more about employee engagement, click the link below to read another Frankly blog that's all about how to boost engagement in other ways.
Kakhaber Bazerashvili
- New skills
Volunteering also leads to employees learning new skills and strengthening pre-existing ones. One of the skills most improved by volunteering is leadership because the volunteers are put in positions in which they must take initiative and make decisions. 92% of volunteers in a survey reported that volunteering is an effective way to improve leadership skills.
Volunteering also improves soft skills like communication, adaptability, problem solving, and empathy. All of these can be taken back to the office and used in daily tasks and responsibilities.
4. Confidence
Volunteering often calls for employees to step outside of their comfort zone and interact with the community in a new way. When they do this, they are able to build their confidence as they realize that they are capable of more than what they were previously comfortable with.
Having these new experiences also opens them up to new possible interests, which will reinforce their desire to continue to step outside of that comfort zone and explore new things in both the community and the workplace.
Click the link below to read more about improving mindset and becoming more confident.
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5. Job satisfaction
Because of the culmination of the previous benefits, employees often feel an overall sense of positivity and job satisfaction from volunteering.
It’s clear, then, that volunteering in the workplace leads to positive results for both your community and your employees. When your employees feel these changes to their daily lives, the environment created in your workplace will be more positive, productive, and fun!
How Frankly Can Help
If you want to see these changes in your workplace, it’s important that you find the right volunteer program format that best suits you and your company. This can be something that’s hard to do on your own, especially when there are so many options.
Frankly is a health and wellness company that will pair you with your own wellness expert who will work with you to find which program works best for you. Our personalized services allow you to focus on what you need during your session.
At Frankly, we take a people-focused, holistic approach to wellness, so we will address any wellness concerns you have outside of just volunteerism. You will have the opportunity to create a wellness plan that is unique to you and your company to tackle the topics that matter most to you.
To learn more about Frankly's sessions, book a 15-minute demo.
A Workplace with Volunteerism
When your employees are happy, satisfied, confident, and engaged, your company will become a place of motivation and productivity. Companies with employees who are engaged are 21% more profitable than companies with low employee engagement.
Experience these benefits for yourself, and create a workplace that is more successful, employees that are more pleased, and a community that is more connected.
Marissa Adams
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