“Why can’t you just volunteer on your own time?” some employers ask. They don’t want to make it more difficult for their employees to give back to the community; perhaps they just don’t see the utility in devoting company resources to helping make that happen.
We’re paraphrasing this avatar of managers who are hesitant to start employee volunteerism programs in the name of corporate social responsibility (CSR), but those points deserve refuting. In this blog entry, we’ll explain why and how businesses can benefit from instituting employee volunteerism efforts. Stick around for tips on creating an effective employee volunteer program for your company.
Why Promote Employee Volunteerism?
What is the 'Employee Engagement Crisis?'
Characteristics of Effective Employee Motivation and Engagement Strategies
Prioritize practicality
Let your employees take the lead
Provide options
Follow up on employees' efforts
Make Things Easier with Groundswell
Apart from the simple value of aiding people and entities in need, companies that increase their level of corporate social responsibility—and let the public know about their efforts—are often more productive and have an easier time finding qualified candidates for open positions. One of the primary drivers of this trend has been the worsening state of climate change, but businesses all over the U.S. and the world are paying more attention to their communities.
With more companies moving to remote work or a hybrid model, employees may have fewer chances to bond with their coworkers. A less cohesive work environment may negatively affect production and contribute to higher employee turnover. Letting employees shape volunteer programs can help them form deeper bonds and motivate them to keep their current jobs. That means companies can save money on new hires and training expenses.
For many employers, the employee engagement crisis is the elephant in the room. Some might call it a crisis or a slump, but the fact that a decreased percentage of employees report feeling engaged with their employer since 2020 is not welcome news for entrepreneurs. Corporate-sponsored volunteerism is one way employers can begin to reverse that trend. Without smart, deliberate employee engagement strategies, the percentage of workers who say they don’t feel a connection to their employer will likely continue to rise.
The specifics of employee volunteer programs can vary significantly from one company to the next. Many companies offer extended paid time off for employees who commit to volunteering for verified causes. Other companies find success using employees’ unique or specialized skills to give back; for instance, accounting firms might do pro bono work for certain individuals needing tax return help.
CSR employee engagement done right will have numerous cascading benefits for companies. Below are a few pieces of advice to keep in mind as you craft a volunteerism program for your business.
Employee motivation and engagement initiatives should be accessible to as many employees as possible. They shouldn’t have to spend hours tinkering with confusing software as their volunteer hours get logged the correct way in their employee portals, for instance. Choosing local charities that aren’t too far out of the way can ensure employees can be back at their homes in the evenings. Giving back to local organizations is also a great way to bolster your company’s reputation.
If you want to increase employee engagement and motivation, your employees should play key roles in shaping volunteerism programs. Some workers might prefer existing or templated volunteer endeavors, but allowing motivated employees to take the lead on CSR initiatives can further strengthen employee engagement.
Meeting your employees where they are is essential for effective volunteerism. Some might prefer putting their boots on the ground at food banks or with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Other employees may not be able to physically give of themselves as much as they’d like, so they’d rather donate funds and get tax deductions.
Everyone says they don’t volunteer for the recognition, and that’s probably true—but highlighting employees who go above and beyond for causes they care about can increase the chances of their doing so again in the future. Effective, easy-to-use software can help you keep track of your employees’ volunteerism and recognize jobs well done.
In our experience, plenty of business owners want to begin and maintain employee volunteer programs. However, common barriers often stand between them and realizing their ambitions. They might be overwhelmed by the amount of bookkeeping that goes along with volunteerism. In other instances, managers might not know how to choose the right organizations or be scared of choosing a charity that has a poor reputation.
CSR and employee engagement can be made easier with Groundswell. We get rid of the majority of bookkeeping obligations and automate these tasks wherever possible. Our native app has five stars on both iOS and Android app stores and has all the features you'll find on our web app, so you can monitor your company’s charitable programs anywhere, anytime.
The best part? Our top-notch customer service will answer as many questions as you need while you’re getting used to our products and services. You probably still need a lot more information before committing to CSR software, so give us a chance to impress. Get started on a new era of employee volunteering programs by requesting a demo with us.
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