Many Australians who engage in volunteering often do these activities after working hours. That’s because they believe their community activities don’t really have anything to do with work. However, some companies promote volunteering on a corporate level.
Creating a volunteer group with a bunch of colleagues is quite easy. All you need is a few willing employees dressed in company shirts with custom embroidery Sydney companies rely on to identify their brand.
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How Does Corporate Volunteering Benefit Your Business?
A recent study from TakeATumble shows that an average of 6 million Australians do volunteer work through their companies every year. This breaks down to about one third (29,5%) of the current population aged 15 years and over.
If you’re a business owner, you might be toying with the idea of setting up a corporate volunteer team. Not sure how this benefits your business? Then this article is for you. Keep reading to find out why setting up a volunteer team is an excellent idea.
1. Excellent PR Opportunity
Volunteering creates high visibility within the community. Business owners who have been doing it for years will tell you that volunteering at a local hospital, animal shelter or non-profit organisation will provide the kind of brand awareness that advertising can’t.
When your employees take part in corporate volunteering, it sends a message that your company has a vested interest in the local community and the welfare of others. Potential clients will be more likely to do business with your company, thanks to your values that they appreciate.
2. Boosts Interdepartmental Engagement
Depending on the size of your business, you might be in an environment where there are several departments. Some departments may even work on different floors and as a result, have little interaction with each other.
Getting these employees together in a setting away from the office will go a long way toward bridging divisions based on office politics or different job functions. This in turn creates a stronger work team.
3. Improves Team Productivity
In many instances, volunteer work requires some form of teamwork or interaction. The positive here is that this type of engagement often spills over into the work environment.
The interaction brings employees together on a personal and emotional level. Once they realise how easy it is to work together outside of work, it becomes easier to create better work relationships. When this happens, productivity instantly improves.
4. Attract Potential Employees
Employers are always on the hunt for potential employees with skills that can benefit their organisation. For the most part, these employees aren’t approaching the company directly because they might not even be aware of their existence. Putting your team out into the community, helping and serving, makes it more likely that potential employees will notice your company.
Furthermore, volunteer work shows that employers support their employees in community efforts. It may make a potential employee want to be a part of that experience.
5. Identifies Existing Skills in Your Current Workforce
Depending on the type of volunteer work you’re doing, it may be an easy way to identify existing skills within your workforce. Employers are generally only focused on what an employee was hired to do and not on what other skills they may be able to contribute.
You might notice that your quiet receptionist really shines in a leadership role in the volunteer team. Or, the accounting assistant upstairs could actually be quite outspoken and excellent at convincing people to do things, making them an ideal candidate for a sales position.
6. Improved Employee Mental Health
Taking your employees out of the work environment to do some community volunteering is a good way to boost their mental well-being. Helping the less fortunate helps keep personal situations in perspective. Doing something helpful away from their usual work or personal environments might even go a long way to reduce stress levels.
It’s also an excellent way to give a depressed person a sense of purpose. This in turn creates a happier, less stressed employee and may ultimately reduce potential sick days. Being dressed in the matching corporate uniforms Sydney companies often opt for, also makes your employees feel like they’re part of a team. So, with one act of volunteering you can impact many factors the contribute to the office’s general mood.
7. Ample Opportunity to Make a Difference
Another advantage of corporate volunteering is that it’s a superb way to make a difference in many different aspects of your local community. Aligning yourself with several non-profit organisations not only allows you to help many people but also boosts your company image.
While there are many national organisations to work with, it’s always a good idea to include a few non-profits in the area around your business. In most cases, a brick-and-mortar business is extensively supported by the locals!
Final Thought
Corporate volunteering has several benefits for your personal well-being as well as the image of your business. The good news is that there is no shortage of non-profits that would appreciate your energy, skills and hard work. So, make a difference in your local community.
Improve your company image by creating the change you want to see in the world, one volunteer job at a time!