Volunteering Benefits for Employees
Giving, Volunteering, Participating
Volunteering plays a vital role in Canadian society. Canada has over 161,000 registered charitable and non-profit organizations in which volunteers play key roles. The 2004 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating (CSGVP) shows that over 12 million Canadian volunteers provide two billion hours of volunteer work each year.
Some employers encourage volunteering among their employees. This can take many forms, such as:
- simple encouragement to volunteer on the employee’s own time
- flexible work hours to accommodate volunteer activity
- allowing volunteering on company time
- partnership with an agency, involving full-time volunteering while receiving partial salary
- providing an employee as a company representative to a voluntary organization (for example United Way)
- organizing team challenges
- donating funds to a favourite charity for a specific number of volunteer hours
- allowing the use of a copier or paying for mailings
- financial contributions or sponsorship
- recognition of employees who volunteer
The employer benefits from an investment in volunteerism, as does the employee and the recipient - truly a win-win situation. Benefits to the employer can include the following:
- a positive workforce
- a better image of the company in the community
- demonstrated leadership for the company
- company recognition for giving back to the community
- retention of employees
- reduction in employee absenteeism
- an increase in job performance and job satisfaction
- improved customer relations, it’s good business for companies to support volunteerism and be socially responsible.
Companies and businesses that promote volunteerism have employees who are proud to work for a company that actively supports charities and their community. An investment in volunteerism can increase employee morale, promote teamwork, and can improve employee skills in the areas of leadership, conflict management, public speaking, and organization.
