Many large organizations, such as Home Depot, Honda of America, and UPS, have employee volunteer programs that are very popular. However, these programs are not the norm in the US.
In addition to making a difference in the community, promoting volunteerism within your small business can also help boost the company’s sales and improve the quality of life in your local area.
However, before implementing an employee volunteer program, it’s important to consider its various costs and benefits.
Employees involved in an employee volunteer program report feeling satisfied by the results of their efforts. This can boost the company’s employee retention and attract more qualified candidates. In addition, volunteering can help boost workers’ productivity by bringing together individuals from different parts of the organization.
Evaluation
Before you start implementing an employee volunteer program, it’s important that you thoroughly investigate the needs of your local community. You can use a survey to gather information about your employees’ interests.
After gathering information about the community and your employees’ interests, you might want to narrow down the areas where you can focus your efforts. For instance, some businesses with strong executive volunteer programs dedicate their resources to specific areas, such as hunger relief or literacy.
Before you start implementing an employee volunteer program, it’s important that you thoroughly investigate the needs of your local community. First, you need to decide on the name of your program. Most successful programs use the name “volunteer outreach” to refer to their efforts. You also need to determine how much input your employees will have on the board of directors.
After gathering information about the community and your employees’ interests, you might want to narrow down the areas where you can focus your efforts. One of the most important factors you should consider is the availability of paid or unpaid volunteer time.
Determine Objectives
One of the most important factors you should consider is aligning your efforts with your company’s overall business strategy. An executive volunteer program that complements your day-to-day operations can help your employees develop skills and become experts in their field.
Get Support From the Top
The support of your company’s president or CEO is also important to ensure that the executive volunteer program is well-designed and implemented. They should encourage the involvement of all employees and support the recognition of company-sponsored volunteerism.
Create Partnerships
You can also expand and strengthen your executive volunteer program by partnering with other companies. You can partner with educational institutions and charitable organizations. In addition, you can participate in national volunteer mobilization events like Make a Difference Day and National Family Volunteer Day.
Reward Work
Although your executive volunteer program’s goal is to encourage all employees’ involvement, it’s also important that you recognize the individuals who participate. Doing so can help keep the program’s momentum and encourage more volunteers. One of the most effective ways to motivate your volunteers is by giving them small rewards such as certificates, gift cards, and plaques.
Publicize
You should use various communication methods to let your employees and the community know about the success of your volunteer program. These include newsletters, e-mails, bulletin boards, and social media outlets. These allow your employees and the community to talk about your efforts and provide you with valuable insight into upcoming campaigns.