Managers should no longer treat their workers’ external volunteering as though it has nothing to do with their day jobs, according to think tank Demos. In a new report, the organisation urges bosses to award promotions or pay rises to employees who have provided copious assistance to charities, healthcare providers or non-profit groups outside working hours. The organisation argues that participation in volunteering schemes is boosting employees’ skills and job satisfaction, and that workers are in fact saving their employers thousands of pounds in training costs by providing help to local causes.
According to Demos, companies should take volunteering to the next level by giving workers “volunteer days” off work, and setting relevant targets in performance reviews. Its research showed that work-sanctioned volunteer schemes provide 14.4 million SME staffers with the opportunity to take part in personal development schemes, which many of their employers wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.
While many businesses encourage their workers to take part in volunteer activities such as mentoring to help build on their skillset, British firms still spend around £40 billion a year on training, and individual leadership-training courses can cost up to £2,500. By comparison, Demos states, the average cost per employee of running a volunteer programme is just £381.10 a year – less than a third of the average annual cost of training a manager in house (approximately £1,337).
Demos head of citizenship and report author Jonathan Birdwell said: “Getting more staff to volunteer is a triple-win for businesses. Employers gain workers that are more skilled, productive and loyal without having to pay out for expensive training courses. Employees gain new skills and the satisfaction of making a difference in their community. And by encouraging their employees to work with young people, businesses unlock the potential of the next generation of workers.”
He added: “Lots of employees would like to volunteer – but aren’t being given the chance. We need to get businesses on board to make volunteering an everyday part of people’s work life.”
In addition to the morale boost from helping out those in need, the report says, employees feel more competent in their jobs due to the experience. As many as 61% of employees agreed that volunteering experience made them perform better in their job. Two-thirds (66%) reported an improvement in their communication skills, with negotiating (45%), team-working (43%) and leadership skills (41%) also noted as key self-improvement areas. With all that in mind, Demos has advised voluntary organisations to develop accreditation schemes to formally give recognition to volunteer skills, and for employers and volunteering organisations to forge stronger links.
As part of the research – conducted with support from the Scouts Association – Demos also interviewed several business leaders, who backed the findings and reinforced the idea that employer volunteering schemes are far more cost-effective for upskilling their workforces and retaining staff than expensive training schemes. At present, though, employees at big companies have more chances of participating, with 70% of FTSE 100 companies having some kind of employee volunteering programme available. That stands at just 20% for medium-sized businesses, and 14% of small businesses.
Scouts Association chief commissioner Wayne Bulpitt – a successful businessman in his own right – said: “I am deeply passionate about the life-changing everyday adventure we provide to over 450,000 young people across the UK. But I also see the difference such opportunities make to the 100,000 adult volunteers who give up nearly 37 million hours a year. This new research reinforces my experience of employers who support their employees to volunteer – gaining in skills, budget competence and the respect of the communities whose lives their employees help to change.”
The full report will be published on Thursday and presented at a summit of business leaders in London.
Image of volunteer Sakeenah Fegir at Exeter’s BookCycle depot courtesy of Clive Chilvers / Shutterstock