Employee Volunteering
Employee volunteering and employee volunteer programs are often part of a company’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility and/or Employee Engagement mission. It is defined by Points of Light as a planned, managed effort that seeks to motivate and enable employees to effectively serve community needs through the leadership of the employer.
Why have an Employee Volunteer Program?
1. Increased Employee Engagement and Retention (Human Resources)
According to the 2017 Deloitte Volunteerism Survey, 89% of Americans believe that companies who sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall environment than those who do not. Engaged employees are good for the bottom line too–companies with engaged staff have 12% increased profitability, 18% higher general productivity, a 62% decrease in safety incidents, and up to a 51% decrease in turnover (Gallup). Need even more research to support these findings? The information is out there, like this other recent study published by Voluntare.
2. Increased Attractiveness to Job Seekers (Human Resources)
An Employee Volunteer Program makes your workplace more attractive to potential employees. A recent study from Stanford discovered that 77% of MBAs feel that a reputation for ethics (an important component of Corporate Social Responsibility) is as important as financial benefits in selecting a job. In fact, 97% of those surveyed said they would be willing to accept reduced financial benefits to work for an organization with a better reputation for ethics and corporate social responsibility!
3. Corporate Social Responsibility & Improved Corporate Visibility
In addition to the benefits provided by publicizing your volunteer activities through traditional and social media, having a vibrant Employee Volunteer Program (as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative) can help increase your company’s reputation. 89% of consumers say they would buy the products/services of a company with an excellent Corporate Social Responsibility reputation as well as recommending it to others. For companies with a poor Corporate Social Responsibility reputation, that number falls to below 7% (Reputation Institute). According to a McKinsey Global Survey, CFOs, investment professionals, and Corporate Social Responsibility professionals agree that maintaining a good corporate reputation or brand equity is the most important way [volunteer programs] create value.
Looking for more information?
If you have a special idea in mind, or if you have questions about employee volunteerism, please contact us at corporate@activategood.org
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