A great way to engage your employees, keep morale high, and ultimately increase their productivity is to encourage and support charity work. Data supports that teams that invest in volunteering experience greater work satisfaction, camaraderie and productivity.
A joint research project between Harris Interactive and the Optum Institute for UnitedHealth Group looked into the effects of volunteer charity work on employees. The results included some interesting insights. For example, volunteering can impact health in a positive way. 76% of respondents reported that doing charity work made them feel healthier. A dramatic increase in employee health can have positive sweeping effects in a company like reducing the number of sick days used, and potentially lowering group health insurance costs. Along with a beneficial impact on employee health, a whopping 78% of participants in the study said that volunteering lowered their stress levels.
Since volunteering requires teamwork, the results of employees’ time doing charity work further develops these abilities which transfer back into the office environment. In fact, 87% of survey respondents said that volunteering helped their career and reported that their charity work helped them develop proficiency in time management, professional abilities, and interpersonal communication.
As volunteer work boosts teamwork abilities, it also strengthens relationships with colleagues. 64% of people in the study said that volunteering with work colleagues has improved their relationships. A tightly knit staff with strong bonds is virtually guaranteed to surpass goals and achieve great results for the entire company. When coworkers bond, they become friends, and a Gallup poll recently said that “strong social connections at the office can make you more productive, and can even make you feel more passionate about your work and less likely to quit.” For example, a team that is close tends to trust each other more, supports their peers better, and has a deeper respect for their coworkers, which leads to better work.
In addition to internal benefits, promoting a volunteer initiative has positive results on the perception of your company from the outside. A 2011 study found that volunteering and corporate social responsibility accounts for 40% of a company’s reputation. Due to the ability of the Internet to spread information, public relations is key. That’s why large corporations are frequently known for social responsibility projects and charity work. Finding examples of organizations taking part in this idea is easier than ever due to massive initiatives like “A Billion Plus For Change” which not only shares stories of successes, but it also gives companies the opportunity to pledge to help, giving them additional PR.
Achieving that extra degree where good turns into great is easier when you have a strong, efficient, and effective team that commits to going beyond what they thought they were capable of. By encouraging and enabling your staff to pursue volunteer work, you are setting them up for success by allowing them to build important skill sets that will then transfer back into their career. How can your team give back and become great in 2015?
