According to a 2011 Deloitte survey of volunteer impact, 93% of employees who volunteer are more satisfied with their current employer. Why? Employees feel more connected to their employer when they feel that they are giving back through their profession. They are more likely to establish lasting relationships with their co-workers and feel more respected in their profession.
What is an employee volunteer program? An employee volunteer program is a planned effort sponsored under and individual’s employer to effectively volunteer in the surrounding community. These programs can be carried out through philanthropic partnerships or individual employees.
How can your company better implement a volunteer program as a part of the job description? Check out our tips below to get you started!
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Identify business priorities: The first step to establishing a successful workplace volunteer
program is to identify which business objectives can be achieved through the actual program efforts. These priorities can be identified in a mission statement. Let employees and outsiders know that volunteering is an important aspect of the overall business of your company or organization. You can better tailor your volunteer interests by studying your current mission statement and matching it to a philanthropic mission. - Identify your employees’ interests: Seek individual interests and concerns to better match your program to what your employees care about. Let your employees know that you want to start a workplace volunteer program. After getting their attention about the program, survey your employees. It is very important to let your employees have their input to allow for more involvement in the projects and help them feel more connected to the company and their new program.
- Identify community needs: Your program should target critical community needs that need to be addressed. After you identify the most critical issues that your employees care about, contact your local volunteer groups or community organizations to see how these issues are currently being handled. You can identify an organization to volunteer with based on these assessments.
- Put it together: After collecting all the necessary information, you will be ready to prepare a purpose statement. Through your program you will be able to: Connect people with opportunities to serve, build capacity for effective volunteering, promote volunteering, and meet local needs.
Developing an employee volunteer program will not only benefit your community, but it will also generate a more positive workplace for all involved. Get your employee volunteer program started today to see the many benefits that will come!
Need help getting started? Check out our more than 250 action centers nationwide or Points of Light’s Corporate Institute to start a program within your company today!
Have you started an employee volunteer program? Do you have any tips? We would love to hear about it in the comments section below!
Individual and family volunteering makes a huge impact on the community. Employee volunteering will not only make an impact on the surrounding community, but also on the work environment. Employees who volunteer together will feel more connected to the community in which they work, and also closer to their coworkers.
volunteer program started today!
employee committee who can dedicate themselves to greater participation. Develop written policies about employee participation in service events (i.e. how many project must staff members participate in). Learn best practices of employee volunteer programs so that you may implement them into your program.
ntacting your local newspaper article. By reporting your results, the community will look more favorably at your company, and other companies may be more enthusiastic about starting a program of their own!
the comments sections below!
