As a leader, you can provide opportunities for your employees to get involved in charity and non-profit organisation events. No matter the size of your organisation, there are so many benefits to volunteering. Doing good creates a feeling of accomplishment. Volunteering is met with praise, which gives people a rush of happiness and sense of purpose.
Investing time into volunteering will only improve morale amongst the team, and encourage employees to build relationships. Not to mention, you’ll be improving your company's reputation at the same time!
Before you start
Do some research so it’s clear what your organisation wants to achieve. Can you commit to regular volunteering, or will you arrange a one-off event every now and then? Will you stay more local and set up a long-term partnership? It’s important to keep your employees in the loop and hear their feedback too, as you want them to have a positive, meaningful experience. You may want to focus on a type of volunteering that links in with your company values and brand too. Brainstorm with your team and think of these questions before you begin so you have clarity from the beginning.
Involve your employees
When you’re choosing charities to support, ask your team if they have any charities close to their heart. Not only will this strengthen the bond between teams but also allows you to take action on something meaningful to your employees. Keep a list of charities that have been suggested, and if there are a lot of choices, consider taking action with events throughout the year. Think about the ways your employees will benefit from volunteering with each charity as well. Is there a way they can learn new skills during the process? E.g. leadership, management and delegation skills.
Create a buzz
How will you share the news and get people to sign up to volunteer? Think about creating a newsletter with information about the charity and how your employees can sign up. You can even put posters around the office. Another sure way to grab your team’s attention is to add volunteering brainstorming as an agenda item in your meetings! Start delegating to your team so they can have a feeling of responsibility, motivation and accomplishment.
Be inclusive
Ensure you have a wide variety of volunteering options so all your employees can get involved. Encourage volunteering by arranging events during work time or even as paid overtime away from the office. Consider people’s schedules and offer volunteering schedules on weekend slots, evenings and daytime. Just be sure you’re able to set aside a yearly budget for this. Think about anyone who may not be as able to do as much physical labour and what they could help with as an alternative.
Lastly, ensure you track everyone who volunteers, so their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Arrange for thank you’s to be sent personally via emails and recognition via newsletters. This all counts towards creating an enjoyable work culture where everyone involved works hard and does good for the community!
We can help you as you begin your volunteering journey. We offer group or individual coaching sessions so you can establish a strategy going forward with your team. This allows you to ask questions and cuts out any uncertainty during the process.
Chat with us via a no-obligation call!