I have been doing volunteer work for many years with a variety of organizations. I was thinking of the benefits I get from these activities and thought of how it could also help companies better engage employees and generate teamwork.
Many companies spend a lot of money on team building activities, which are fun events, but the effect may wear off quickly. Volunteering can cost less and be an ongoing experience.
Key benefits:
- Rally employees around a good cause
- Create a spirit of giving and helping
- Explore shared values
- Build comradery
- Help strengthen the local community
- Show corporate leadership in the local community
- Build business network
- Team building opportunity
- ROI – business brand and respect
Steps
- Appoint a project champion
- Form a steering team made of employees from various departments
- Decide on a community project or organization to contribute work with
- Form a task team to map out a plan and act
- Communicate project to all employees
- Encourage employee involvement
- Measure results
- Employee satisfaction survey
- Use social media (Facebook page etc.)
- Make a video (optional)
Every business relies on their local community for skilled workers, suppliers for products and services, financing, access to markets and more. The healthier the local community is the better resources your business will have to grow and succeed. Having a volunteer program supporting and strengthening the local community will pay itself back to your company in more ways than one and is something that every business, large and small should consider.