Meaningful employee volunteering for your organisation
by Terri O’Brien,
Corporate and Programmes Manager
Recently I’ve been likening employee volunteering to a coin. And as we all know, there are two sides to every coin!
Flip and land on side A of the coin and the company engages in employee volunteering because they understand their inherent obligation and role in sustaining communities and creating a just, equal and better society for all.
Land on side B of the coin and the company engages in employee volunteering for business reasons such as enhancing staff recruitment and retention, improving employee well-being along with brand marketing.
Which side should we focus on?
Once side A – authentic volunteering supporting real needs – is taken care of, side B naturally follows. The result of real and authentic volunteering – increased motivation at work, shared values, networking, team building and increased connection to the company.
Starting with side A, focus first on the company’s social responsibility to society. What is needed and how can your employee volunteer programme help? Write an ethos statement to guide your programme in making decisions. Create a plan to allocate finances, time and human resources (employee volunteers) to support these needs. Establish a fund for supplies and donations to support employee volunteering. Allocate time to those who will manage your volunteer activities or programme.
Volunteering Plus+ Partnerships
Consider establishing a Volunteering Plus+ partnership with a small, grassroots organisation or local DEIS school where your contributions can have a far-reaching impact. A Volunteering Plus+ partnership is where the company supports employee volunteering and then goes that extra step.
For example, a company we recently partnered with at Volunteer Ireland, revamped outdoor areas at a school in Dublin’s north inner-city donating volunteer time and budgets for paint, plants, garden supplies, furniture and so on. In addition to this, a small group of employees continues to return to the school to help with gardening upkeep. The company already had a laptop donation programme in place so they enrolled the school to help supply them with equipment. All the children in junior classes, many of whom are living in homeless accommodation, received personalised Christmas presents paid for by the company.
The Take-Away
Ultimately, side A and B are two sides of the same coin, they are complementary, one doesn’t exist without the other. The take-away, start with side A and you will have a powerful impact on society along with an engaged, motivated and sustainable workforce.
More information
For more information on employee volunteering programme check out our Resource Library where you will find a range of guides, checklists and supports on all aspects of employee volunteering.
You can also join us every Friday at 11am for an information session about employee volunteering and how Volunteer Ireland can help you facilitate employee volunteering at your organisation! Email [email protected] to RSVP.
