Want a Better Workplace? Encourage Employees to Volunteer

Article by: Jordan Bishop, Business News Daily (Published Feb. 21, 2023)

Creating a culture that encourages volunteering can help employers boost employee morale, workplace atmosphere and brand perception.

• Volunteerism can positively affect a company’s culture and morale while enhancing brand perception.

• Employees often don’t have free time to pursue volunteerism, so they feel empowered and grateful when their workplaces help them give back to the world.

• Volunteer programs allow businesses to embrace corporate social responsibility and boost their appeal to customers, investors, and employees.

This article is for business owners seeking creative ways to improve their workplaces and enhance corporate social responsibility.

Creating a company culture of volunteerism in your organization can help your community and the world while improving your business. Employee-sponsored volunteerism appeals to consumers who prefer doing business with socially responsible companies and employees who want to make a difference in the world. Whether you focus on climate issues, racial injustice, diversity and inclusion, poverty, or another concern, the shared mission can create a stronger workplace culture and help businesses embrace corporate social responsibility

We’ll explore how volunteering helps businesses and their employees and share best practices for creating an employee volunteer program.

How does volunteering help employees?

According to the 2022 Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose Giving in Numbers report, 84 percent of companies offer flexible scheduling or paid time off for their employees’ volunteer opportunities. Some businesses even allot up to 60 hours of volunteer time off. Here are some of the benefits volunteerism brings to employees.

1. Volunteerism helps employees feel more empowered

Employees feel empowered when they can contribute to causes close to their hearts. According to the Giving in Numbers report, employees are more likely to participate in volunteer programs when the cause resonates with them. Deloitte s Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that today’s Gen Z and millennial employees feel the need to balance work lives with a drive for societal change. They’re drawn to businesses that allow them to be of service to the community. In return, employees will feel a heightened level of commitment to their company and team, offering substantial growth and development opportunities for both.

2. Volunteerism helps employees develop and share talents and skills

Employees are hired for the talents and skills necessary to perform their jobs. However, most, if not all, likely have untapped skills they’d appreciate exploring ones that would bring enormous value to their organizations. Volunteer programs open a new world for employees to explore their talents, improve skills, and learn new skills. In fact, the Giving in Numbers report revealed that employees volunteer more when the employer offers skills-based programs. Of companies offering employer-sponsored volunteerism, 73 percent offer skills-based volunteer programs that allow employees to practice and explore tangible skills to help their communities. Whether employees learn new skills or hone current talents, they’ll bring this expertise back to their organization along with higher self-worth and a higher value to the company.

3. Employees will feel happier when they participate in volunteerism

A Journal of Happiness study found that volunteering can positively impact physical and mental health, alleviate stress, and experience increased life satisfaction. In other words, people who volunteer are happier.

Employees who participate in volunteerism benefit from higher morale and an increase in overall happiness and happier employees see significant productivity boosts. When employees feel good about being at work, they tend to work harder and take pride in their company.

4. Volunteering helps employees develop leadership potential

Volunteering can help employees discover untapped talents and may even help them realize their leadership potential. Volunteer programs are an excellent platform for employees to discover a natural affinity to lead, especially when participating in activities that require sharp management and organizational skills. For the company, discovering new leaders is a valuable opportunity to strengthen the entire organization.

How does volunteering help

companies?

Volunteer programs also benefit the companies that sponsor them. Some advantages of sponsoring volunteerism include the following:

1. Volunteer programs help businesses attract and retain talent

According to the Deloitte survey, millennials and Gen Zers say a sense of purpose is critical along with a positive worklife balance and pay when choosing new employers. Nearly two in five of the younger generations, and nearly half of those in leadership positions, have rejected a job because it didn’t align with their personal ethics.

Today’s employees want to make a societal and environmental impact, so companies that offer employer-sponsored volunteer programs are more attractive. Companies that help their employees impact the world through volunteerism have a better chance of attracting and retaining top talent.

2. Volunteer programs can improve a brand’s image

Just as employees want to work for a company that positively impacts the world, today’s consumers prefer supporting companies and brands that are public and transparent about their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Volunteer programs that feature employees connecting with communities through social initiatives are positively received by the public, which can improve a brand’s image organically.

3. Volunteer programs boost employee engagement

According to Gallup, only 36 percent of employees feel positively engaged in their positions, although they want to be invested in, connected to and enthusiastic about their employers. Volunteer programs are an excellent way to create and boost employee engagement, motivating employees to invest time and energy into their employer relationship.

The values and skills they acquire via a volunteer program allow them to perform better while fostering a deeper sense of loyalty to the company. More engaged workers are more productive, making volunteer programs a win for employers, employees, and the causes they support.

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Long Term Disability Benefits Review

Although long term disability (LTD) benefits may lack the appeal of other more often utilized programs in a company’s benefit portfolio, for an employee who becomes disabled due to an accident, injury or illness, it becomes a critical and much appreciated safety net.

Designed to replace lost income when an employee is unable to work for an extended period of time, business owners have a choice to provide coverage to all employees as part of an employer-paid core benefit or make the program optional and employee paid, often as part of the company’s voluntary benefits portfolio. However, most insurance companies require a minimum level of participation when underwriting an LTD plan, providing an incentive for employers to automatically enroll all employees in the plan and make it a 100% employer paid benefit.

It should be noted that the upside for employees paying for the program with after-tax dollars or paying through a voluntary program is that if they become disabled and receive benefits, the payments will be tax-free.

LTD plans typically have a waiting period of 90 or 180 days, and pay 50-60% of the disabled employee’s monthly income up to a stated maximum length of time, based on a very specific definition of “disability”. The carrier may or may not include commissions and bonuses in an employee’s income. Of particular importance is the carrier’s definition of disability. The most liberal definition of the term is “own occupation”, which allows the employee to collect benefits if they are unable to work due to illness or injury, in their current profession. On the other end of the spectrum is a definition requiring an inability to work in “any occupation”, making it much more difficult for the employee to collect benefits.

The pricing for the benefit program is based on the level of benefits provided and the demographics of the company’s workforce, among other factors. Larger companies and those with prior coverage will usually be required to submit past rate history or utilization information.

For the business owner, it is worth shopping carriers on a regular basis to compare not only pricing, but the specific benefits offered by each insurance company, including any exclusions and limitations. Brokers and benefit consultants typically know the best carriers in each region for various industries and can more effectively shop and compare programs for the business owner or designated benefit manager.

The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at pnrc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Craig Pritts at (800) 377-3539.

Your Chamber membership is a valuable business tool that is complemented by our Affinity Program partners who allow you to save time and money. Save on everything from payroll to energy and you do not even have to waste time researching-your Chamber has done it all for you.

Nonprofit Name: Living in Liberty

Mission: “Living in Liberty restores dignity, freedom, and a new life to victims of commercial sexual exploitation by creatinga safe, secure, loving, and nurturing communitywhere healing occurs and a new life begins.”

What impact does your organization wish to make in the world?

Living in Liberty is a faith-based, anti-human trafficking organization in Southwestern PA. Living in Liberty works to combat human trafficking in Southwestern PA by supporting survivors on the streets and in our safe home, and by providing community education about the realities of commercial sexual exploitation in our city. Our work is supported by our Repurposed thrift store, and is sustained by the efforts of over 150 faithful volunteers. Our prayer is that through sustained, intentional effort we can offer hope, love, and recovery to women exiting a life of commercial sexual exploitation.

Upcoming Events: Fundraising Event: Annual Golf Outing at Olde Stonewall – June 23rd Volunteer Events: Human Trafficking Volunteer Training – Monday, April 17th

What needs would help your organization to put your mission into action?

Our greatest need is committed volunteers who are driven to fight to end human trafficking in our city. We currently have great need in our safe home and in our street outreach ministries, although we can also always use volunteers in all aspects of our ministry. Although monetary donations are graciously welcome, most of our work is funded through our non-profit thrift store called The Repurposed Store. Any lightly used items donated to our store would be greatly appreciated! For more information on our thrift store, please visit https://repurposedpgh.com

Information/Donation Contact: Catherine Denny Volunteer Coordinator volunteer@livinginliberty.org