Volunteering is very rewarding on many levels. Not only does it make a positive impact on the life of the doer (and receiver), but the feeling of goodwill and positivity can radiate in the halls of your company.
However, with all of the commitments we tie ourselves to, it can be challenging to find the time or right organization to volunteer with regularly.
According to Inc.com, "By 2020, Millennials (those born between about 1980 and 2000) are forecast to comprise half of the American workforce, and by 2025, 75 percent of the global workforce." Here are some stats from the Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey on the connection between Millennials and Volunteerism in the Workplace.
If this sounds familiar to you, now is an excellent time for your company to plan and introduce a Corporate Volunteer Program.
Now that you've seen the stats and know that this goodwill makes a positive impact, we have put together some tips that you can use to help your Volunteer program to take shape.
Getting it all set up-
1. What's the plan?
Now, this may seem obvious but bear with us to start. Does your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program revolve around one particular organization? If so, ask them for some advice! Nonprofits would love to have more time with your employees to share their mission and fuel passion.
You can establish a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) policy or participate in a day of service (which can be on or off-site.)
Authenticity is the key to a thriving program; you need to stay true to the heart of your organization. Also, be sure to take the time to hear from your employees. Check out our infographic on "How to Create a Successful CSR Program that Thrives."
Which leads to the next point-
2. Get everyone involved
People rarely like being told where their social good efforts need to be focused- it is a very personal decision. Keep in mind, those benefits we talked about in the beginning only happen when passion fuels the doer.
So, survey your employees. Not only will you learn about who they are, but you may be amazed by what you learn about your community too.
Also, make sure you are taking this to ALL levels of your organization.
When the leadership team is involved, they will inspire their teams, and having their buy-in can only help your CSR program in the long run.
Now… the less fun part (but we have a solution, don't worry.).
3. Track your data
How else can your report on the overall success of your program, and learn if there are ways you can make it any better?
Now, we'd be remiss not to point out that by having a formal CSR Platform, like StratusLIVE Ignite, a lot of this "dirty work" can be taken care of for you automatically.
Having access to both qualitative and quantitative data will impact the longevity of your volunteer program and allows you to share a more transparent look into your CSR program to your employees, consumers, and investors.
The Takeaway
CSR Volunteer Programs can take a decent amount of time and effort to put together. Still, as we began, the exercise is worth it when you look at the numbers.
Are you ready to have a formal platform to coordinate your volunteer efforts? We can help!
StratusLIVE Ignite helps thousands of organizations coordinate their Giving, Matching, and Volunteer programs.
