Submitted By: Dr. Marilyn K. Lesmeister, Assistant Professor, Center for Volunteer and Community Development

Volunteers from the Workplace

The workplace is an excellent place to promote volunteerism and recruit volunteers. Whether it is a small, local business, or large, national corporation, their employees can be a source of “volunteer power” in the community. Employee volunteers may be equipped with specialized skills, information, and a fresh perspective to help address community issues and challenges (Lautenschlager, 1993). There can be benefits to the individual employee, to the employer, the corporation and the community.

What is Employee Volunteering?

As a relatively new and growing field, the terms related to volunteering through one’s workplace have not been firmly established. The terms employee volunteering, corporate volunteering, employer-supported volunteering, and workplace volunteering are used simultaneously. While some authors identify differences, the basic idea is that “employees perform work in the community with some form of support and/or encouragement from their employer” (Graff, 2004).

Motives for Employee Volunteers

Motives for volunteering have been classified by various researchers. The following model (Peterson, 2004) uses six categories of volunteer motives, with corresponding strategies to recruit volunteers within corporations (Table 1). Volunteer program directors can adopt several strategies that will influence various motives of their employees.

TABLE 1

Six commonly cited motives for volunteering matched with six commonly used recruitment strategies in corporate volunteer programs

Motives for Volunteering	Employee Volunteer Recruitment Strategies
1. Altruistic – motivated by the desire to be useful, helpful to those in need, or to contribute to society	1. Publicizing information concerning community needs and the opportunity to volunteer
2. Social relations – motivated by the desire to interact with others, socialize, or make new friends	2. Organizing team projects in which employees work together on a community project
3. Ideological – motivated by a specific cause the individual believes is highly important (e.g., fight against AIDS)	3. Offering an incentive program in which the company makes a financial donation to a cause chosen by employee(s) in return for a specified number of volunteer hours contributed by the employee(s)
4. Status reward – motivated by rewards, such as publicity, title, indirect goodwill, or status in the community	4. Recognizing employee volunteer contributions through articles, awards, and commendations, bulletin boards, etc.
5. Material reward – motivated by tangible benefits, such as prizes, free passes, awards or privileges	5. Encouraging participation in volunteer projects that develop job related skills or benefit the company; or acknowledge volunteer participation during job performance evaluation
6. Time – motivated because the individual either has or does not have sufficient time to participate in volunteer activities	6. Offering” release time” or hours off from work to participate in volunteer activities.

Benefits of Employee Volunteers

Employee volunteer programs provide many benefits to the business, employee or retiree, non-profit organization, and the community.

Corporations benefit when their employees or retirees volunteer. Research shows that “one of the most effective methods of enhancing a corporation’s public image is through the contributions of time and talent from employees” (Peterson, 2004). Benefits to the company include: improved relations with surrounding community; enhanced (socially responsible) corporate image; positive employee morale; and, increased ability to attract and retain high-quality employees.

Employees and retirees benefit because of representing their employer with pride; contributing to a community cause; interacting with the larger community; and increasing their personal awareness of community issues.

Extension programs benefit because corporations become sources of active, skilled volunteers who bring new talent, ideas, and energy to the program. An employee volunteer program also creates an opportunity to educate corporate employees about Extension’s mission. Community partnerships are stronger and the potential for financial contributions may increase.

Communities benefit because there are more resources available. Profit and non-profit partnerships decrease duplication of services and increase effective use of resources. When there is increased networking and resource management between corporations and University of Florida Extension programs, the quality of life in the community is enhanced.

Developing an Employee Volunteer Program

The corporation; the Extension faculty; or a partnership between the profit and not-for-profit sectors can initiate establishing an employee volunteer program. Every partner should understand the benefits of employee volunteers to him, specifically.

The Points of Light Foundation (1996), outlines the following steps to develop a successful employee volunteer program.

1. Identify corporate values, goals and priorities that could be addressed by a volunteer program. Company administrators need to see how employees can perpetuate the corporation’s mission and goals in the community. Be prepared to justify how this can happen.
2. Determine employee interests through surveys to identify levels of volunteer experience and specific interests.
3. Determine community needs and consider how an employee volunteer program can address those issues. Business leaders want others to know that their corporate volunteers are helping to address real issues.
4. Work with the corporation administration to plan a program that encourages and facilitates employee participation at several levels. Suggest that an employee steering committee help establish the long-term program and short-term plan.
5. Help a business develop written corporate policies to support an employee volunteer program. Will there be an opportunity to volunteer during “company time?” (“Release time” for volunteering is a powerful incentive for employee participation in volunteer projects.) How much time will be allowed? Are there any restrictions? What arrangements need to be made? What needs to be communicated…and to whom…and under what circumstances? Will training be needed? What recognition will be given? When will recognition be given?
6. Begin by selecting a specific volunteer project that meets all the criteria above. Initiate an employee volunteer experience that enables employees, the business and the community to feel success. If the project is an ongoing effort, further develop details of the project as it grows for several months.
7. Evaluate the employee volunteer program to measure its impact on employees, the corporation, the not-for-profit organization, and community.
8. Publicize the employee volunteer efforts and accomplishments both internally and externally – to senior management, internal newsletters, via community media, Chamber of Commerce, and to partnering groups. Use success stories to share information. Provide a link on the company’s website to Extension program websites, where employees can learn more about volunteer opportunities.
9. Recognize volunteers through awards, visibility and other appropriate benefits that encourage them to continue to volunteer. Always communicate employee volunteer names with the business they represent. Repeat the successes and benefits often.

What Does This Mean to Your Extension Program?

Whether you are responsible for nutrition education, youth development or horticulture, your Extension program can reach an even larger audience when you work effectively with and through volunteers. As you strengthen your role as “volunteer manager” you will spend more time providing orientation and training to ensure that each volunteer is prepared for success. Your role then is to provide good resources, ongoing support and recognition for their involvement.

Conclusion

Volunteer programs in the workplace are most successful when they are based on “integrating the priorities of the company, the interests of the employees, and the needs of the community” (Points of Light Foundation, 1996). These programs help businesses become leaders in their communities. While the needs of the community are being addressed, the number of volunteers within the community grows, and employee volunteers are feeling the rewards of community involvement that is supported by their employer.

For more information, go to EDIS publication: “Employee Volunteering”

References

Graff, L. (2004). Making a Business Case for Employer-Supported Volunteerism, Volunteer Canada.

Lautenschlager, J. (1993). Volunteering in the Workplace: How to Promote Employee Volunteerism, Voluntary Action Directorate, Department of Canadian Heritage.

Points of Light Foundation. (1996). Developing a Corporate Volunteer Program. Washington D.C.

Peterson, D. K. (2004). Recruitment strategies for Encouraging Participation in Corporate Volunteer Programs. Journal of Business Ethics, 49, 371-386.