About 8 in 10 companies view volunteer opportunities as an important way to engage employees, yet one-third of employees don't give through their workplace giving programs because they're not able to choose causes that matter to them. Employee volunteer managers are tasked with engaging employees authentically while effectively tracking and reporting on their program's value.
The U.S. unemployment rate reached its lowest point in 49 years this September. Meanwhile, the percentage of “engaged” U.S. workers — i.e., those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace — is at an all-time high, according to Gallup.
For companies without a robust employee engagement strategy in place, this presents a new reality — it’s becoming more difficult to attract and retain top talent.
With the successful launch of the SPARK Global Volunteer Program in 2016, MilliporeSigma, the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, employees continue to SPARK curiosity around the world, giving back to the communities in which they live and work during 2018 quarterly dedicated SPARK weeks. In addition to SPARK events organized throughout the year, the dedicated SPARK weeks model brings employees together at specific and consistent points in time.
It’s simple: when your employees aren’t engaged, they aren’t productive. They may even begin to explore outside opportunities if they sense that their current role with your company isn’t — and isn’t about to become — fulfilling.
By thoughtfully developing and implementing initiatives like employee volunteer programs, corporate citizenship practitioners can benefit society and their business at the same time. The key is getting employees engaged.
CEO Danielle Holly responds to a recent Boston Globe article about some common pitfalls of corporate volunteer initiatives with remarks on the value of strategic volunteerism and cross-sector partnerships.
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On March 25th, The Boston Globe published the article “Corporate Volunteers can be a burden for nonprofits.” Its central argument: corporate volunteers are an ineffective resource for the nonprofits they serve and those nonprofits would be better off without them. It posits that these volunteer efforts are more beneficial to the company, largely via PR and goodwill benefits, than they are to the organizations that they aim to serve.
The benefits of employee volunteer programs are numerous (and well documented). So why aren't more companies taking part? Emily Rothberg speculates on the reasons employee volunteer programs aren't more prevalent, how to move past common issues, and what successful employee volunteer programs have in common.
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The benefits of employee volunteer programs are numerous (and well documented). So why aren't more companies taking part? Emily Rothberg speculates on the reasons employee volunteer programs aren't more prevalent, how to move past common issues, and what successful employee volunteer programs have in common.
Join VolunteerMatch, AT&T, Nationwide, and GoDaddy for this free webinar on 3/26.
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Employee volunteers that go above and beyond deserve recognition. Rewards and awards programs offer your employees incentive to get involved, fun competition with their coworkers, and a feeling of being appreciated.
As corporate volunteerism becomes an increasingly important part of the work experience, companies are coming up with new ways to embrace volunteering and tie it to their bottom lines.
