Management Corner: Volunteer Work is Good for You

Here’s how:

• A Health and Volunteering study by UnitedHealth Group found that volunteering can have positive effects on one’s mental and emotional health. The report states that the “satisfaction that comes from assisting other people in need, drives a sense of purpose, and that purpose helps to create a sense of wellbeing and health.”

• The study also found that volunteering helps manage and lower stress levels, which can lead to a better quality of life.

• In addition to mental and emotional health benefits, Psychology

Today reports that volunteers live longer and have healthier lives.

Obtaining a purpose early in life and maintaining that purpose into one’s senior years is a key component to a happy and healthy life.

• It’s a great way to meet people. Volunteering allows you to meet new people and network with likeminded individuals. Those benefits can also be applied to professional development and lead to new career opportunities. You can also obtain and polish job related skills. Working well with others is a must-have in the volunteer world, so team building exercises are often executed within volunteer groups.

• Since volunteering is a great way to meet people, it’s only natural that it also provides great visibility for your business if you are a business owner or manager. There’s nothing wrong with choosing volunteer opportunities that also help you connect with people who might need your business services.

• Now for the obvious: being a volunteer helps society. Many organizations would not survive without them.