Insights
We outline the practical steps to getting the most out of employer-supported volunteering in your charity
There’s been a steady decline in the number of people who volunteer in the UK, with 1.6 million fewer people volunteering than five years ago.
One way to get new volunteers on board is through employer-supported volunteering (also known as corporate supported volunteering). It’s when an organisation’s employees take paid time off to volunteer – usually during work hours – and it benefits everyone involved.
A McKinsey survey found that 63% of people want their employer to provide more opportunities for purpose in their day-to-day work. An employer-supported volunteering programme is one way that companies can meet this need.
Here are some areas to consider if you’re setting up a new volunteering scheme with a corporate partner.
Setting up and running an employer-supported volunteering scheme takes time and effort, so first take a step back and consider what would most help your charity. That might be having a small team of dedicated employees to chop vegetables once a week or a much larger team to take on a one-off renovation project.
Volunteering can also be a great way to plug any specialist skills gaps within your team. Maybe an experienced leader from a local business could mentor a newly promoted manager, or a tech specialist could provide ad hoc support. Map out all the potentials first so you’re clear on what you need.
Research local companies who share your mission or aims or have strong corporate social responsibility goals that align with your cause. Or, if you are looking for specific skills support, then target specialist organisations. For example, if you need help updating your social media strategy, there might be a local digital marketing company who’d happily help out for a few hours once a month.
It’s important to be really clear about what volunteering opportunities you’re able to offer. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) found that one of the barriers to successful employer-supported volunteering was a mismatch between employer and charity expectations.
Often the most helpful volunteering activities for charities are those that involve people using the skills they use at work. Whereas employees often want to volunteer to do something different from their day job. Having clearly defined projects will help to make sure everyone’s on the same page from the outset.
If possible, offer flexible arrangements, such as giving the option to volunteer at your office or remotely. This can help to encourage more people to take part and make it easier to fit around work priorities.
It costs money to take on corporate volunteers, especially if you’re organising larger teams to come in for one-off projects. Think about how much you need the organisation to contribute towards costs and be clear about that from the start.
After all, there are many benefits for employers and employees and it can be helpful to spell them out. These include:
Increasing staff retention and loyalty
Boosting employer branding to potential employees
Increasing employee wellbeing and motivation
Helping companies build meaningful links within the local community
Building stronger teams
Helping employees gain new skills
Demonstrating a company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility
NCVO research found that people who volunteer directly with a charity tend to be more positive about their volunteering experience than those who volunteer through their employer. One way to address this is to put as much effort into building relationships with volunteers who give their time through their employer, as those who volunteer independently.
Even if you have people helping for just one day, make sure they feel welcomed and appreciated, and that they understand how their support will make a difference. After all, one ad hoc job could lead to longer-term volunteering and a new supporter of your work.
To have a successful long-term relationship you’ll need to have regular conversations about what’s working and what’s not. Having one key contact at the company can make it easier to build a programme that benefits everyone.
If you’re working with a larger organisation, it can be helpful to have team-level charity champions – who can get to know your charity well and be internal ambassadors for any volunteering projects.
Monitoring the impact of any volunteering project is important for everyone involved. It will help you assess if it’s worth repeating, give employers strong feedback to encourage other employees to get involved, and show volunteers that their time has been well-spent.
Always thank your volunteers and celebrate successes – that might include on social media and in the local press. This can be great publicity for both your charity and the company who’s supporting you. And of course, it can motivate employees to continue giving their time to your charity.
For more information about employer-supported volunteering, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has some helpful factsheets.
Join us on the 30th of May, where we will explain more about how VR technology works and how it can help charities, hearing from organisations where the technology has already made a difference.