No matter the size of your company or how many employees you have, it’s important to encourage those employees to volunteer. Studies have shown that employees feel happier working for a company that encourages giving back and takes steps to make that possible for employees. Simply offering a day or two of volunteer time-off for employees can go a long way and get across the point that the business prioritizes philanthropy. Here are just a few of the many reasons that you should encourage your employees to volunteer or create opportunities for them yourself.
Happier employees
By encouraging your employees to volunteer in different capacities, you’ll have happier employees. Through volunteering, employees will feel like they’re working toward a greater purpose and feel satisfied with what they’re doing. It’s proven that giving back makes people happier; encourage your employees to have this feeling.
Reduced turnover
If employees feel happier as they’re volunteering and connect that feeling to their workplace encouraging them giving back, you’ll have lower turnover rates. Employees who feel that they’re working toward the bigger picture with their company and are doing good together will be less likely to leave that business.
Improve the community
When you’re looking for volunteer opportunities to point employees to, look around the local community. You’ll find there are plenty of ways your business and employees can give back. By focusing on the community your company is in, you’ll have a chance to improve the local community.
Develop your brand
As your employees go out into the community and find ways they can give back, it helps develop your business’s brand. People will recognize you as a company that wants to give back and looks for ways to do so.
Healthier employees
It’s been proven that volunteering makes you healthier. Helping others lowers stress levels, leads to fewer heart issues, and generally improves well-being. By encouraging employees to volunteer, they’ll end up being healthier, which means they miss less work, have to rely on healthcare less, and feel better overall.
New skills
By encouraging employees to volunteer, particularly in areas where they can use skills related to their careers, they’ll find ways to develop new skills. As your employees gain more skills, they can use these in their current jobs to be more efficient, informed, and successful.
Attract great employees
Finally, as the business develops a reputation for caring about giving back, you’ll begin to attract great potential employees. Many people, especially in younger generations, want to work for a business that possesses values they agree with. Being able to demonstrate how your company gives back to others helps achieve this goal.
Tejesh Kodali 