As 2021 draws to a close, our thoughts may be turning to switching off and family gatherings.
For some though, this will be the toughest time of the year and, in light of Covid-19, a year we’re glad to see the back of.
It’s been a difficult time for communities and individuals in need.
Charities have folded during the pandemic.
Donations have plummeted and fundraising events and activities have been cancelled.
So as we cautiously welcome 2022, could we all be doing more to help?
The answer is yes and the good news is many of us already are – through our employers.
Employee volunteering is on the rise, with workforces throughout Scotland helping overstretched charities and struggling communities.
There’s a genuine desire from large and small businesses to step up the contribution to the communities they serve and encourage their employees to volunteer their time and expertise.
But what does volunteering mean and could we be rethinking our potential?
Employee volunteering takes many forms
Perhaps you’re thinking of befrienders, food shoppers, food delivery packers, mentors or retail helpers.
Charities are always looking for volunteers to fill these roles and plenty of businesses are doing just that, but what about getting involved with the charity itself?
At Social Good Connect, we’re often approached by charities seeking skilled support to run and grow their operations.
They need board members, trustees, PR advisors, SEO specialists, HR help… the list goes on.
Many of us are unaware of how useful our professional and personal skills really are, and how giving back can be as simple as spending 30 minutes or an hour sharing the skills we already have.
I speak daily with leaders of small grass-roots charities, larger, established charities and everything in between.
Too many are crying out for expertise, in-depth knowledge and specialist skills that are in abundance in every type of business.
And I see a lot of frustration, missed opportunities and gaps in understanding around how charities and businesses can best work together.
Partnerships bring benefits to workplaces, volunteers and charities
For employers and business owners, it’s worth getting wise to the range of volunteering roles your staff could fill and rethinking how you could collaborate with your community.
Companies stepping up to do good in times of crisis often leaves a more powerful, meaningful, and long-lasting impression with a customer than it would to see social good being done during a ‘peaceful’ time.
▸ https://t.co/CQQVaXMzrE#employeevolunteering #Covid19 #brexit pic.twitter.com/tcLgYT2iND
— Social Good Connect (@sgconnect1) December 17, 2021
In my experience, the businesses giving back most effectively are the ones moving away from the historical “charity of the year” and annual charity days approach.
It’s less “them and us” and more “how we can work together in a trusted partnership where the benefits and the positive, lasting impact are equal?”.
Employee volunteering is a great solution, but perhaps more businesses need to understand what that could look like.
And if you help run a charity, ask yourself what you need – is it resources, tools and advice?
Is a fresh pipeline of volunteers as vital as income, bringing in more people from different walks of life?
What is the charity’s long-term strategy and how can the business sector practically support that?
Planning for more meaningful employee volunteering
More thought and more planning needs go into forging long-lasting relationships.
Far more social impact will be achieved this way than by an occasional donation.
And when skilled professionals give their time and expertise to causes they care about, they feel good about themselves.
When we take an hour from the daily routine to tackle someone else’s challenges, we meet new people, gain more social interaction and a renewed sense of purpose.
But we’re also more likely to feel more connected towards our socially responsible employer.
Volunteers who are supported to step off the wheel to help others bring back new energy, perspective and connections.
And all of that helps with employee motivation, retention and even recruitment.
By rethinking how we choose to give, and by stepping up our long-term employee volunteering effort, we can have a lasting impact on the communities we serve.
Caroline McKenna is CEO/ founder of Social Good Connect. The non-profit digital search and match platform connects skilled volunteers from businesses to the communities and causes they care about. It was named Courier Young Business of the Year 2021.
