Volunteering

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How employee volunteer programs boost morale

Employees who spend time serving the community are more productive during the time they spend in your office. Nearly 90% of respondents to a survey about volunteerism in the corporate environment said that companies who sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment than those who do not.

That survey also found that more than 70% of respondents felt that volunteering activities increased morale and overall well-being.

Tips to help your company and your employees give back

Employees respond to causes that hit home

Volunteerism can take on many forms. Among them: annual giving campaigns, nationally recognized days of community service, or leadership on the board of a community-based organization.

Community giving campaigns, those that allow employees to donate to a charity of their choice, can be a popular way to empower employees to support the causes that matter most to them.

Another way to support this type of program is a matching gift program in which employers match employee charitable donations dollar for dollar. Those programs proved popular; nearly 90% of companies also offer some form of that type of program.

Volunteerism can boost recruitment

If your company shows a true commitment to your community through volunteerism, your employees will notice. This is particularly true of younger employees who closely follow social issues.

Another survey on the topic of volunteerism found that seven in 10 Millennials say a company’s commitment to the community would factor into the decision between two potential jobs with the same location, responsibilities, pay and benefits.
It can also help with retention; the survey found that employees who volunteer are far more likely to feel loyalty to a company than those who do not.

On the flip side of the coin, HR professionals indicate that skills-based volunteering experiences — individuals using their professional skills to assist nonprofit organizations — provides a marketability edge for those seeking gainful employment.

Person-hours have value

Intangibly, your employees help you connect with your community. Tangibly, there is also real value in the hours your employees offer.

People spend an average of 52 hours per year volunteering their time to organizations. Since the national value of volunteer time is $24.14 per hour, that means the average American contributes more than $1,250 of their time to their communities. Employers can recognize their employees’ service by celebrating it at the next all-hands meeting and sharing milestones or awards on social media or in a newsletter. By recognizing that immense dollar value and rewarding employees for their volunteerism, employers can promote a healthy internal company culture.