How to Create a Successful Employee Volunteer Program

Employees make up an essential part of the framework that contributes towards a company’s CSR aims. In the present times, recruiting and retaining top-tier and motivated employees is ascertained also by its dedication towards its social responsibilities.

One of the ways in which the management can harness their employee’s potential and boost internal morale is by conducting Employee Volunteer Programs. Numerous studies and reports point to the multiple benefits accrued by the simple process of engaging employees in volunteering activities.

These programs can build credibility for the company. They also help in recruiting and retaining candidates who are incentivized by aligning their goals of social service with the company’s core values for contributing towards the social good. A successful employee volunteer program also encourages cross-cultural and interdepartmental interaction, providing innumerable opportunities for team building and communication.

Presenting employees with the opportunity to engage in social service is a step taken by the company in cementing its dedication towards its social responsibilities. By including the employees’ voices in its social service initiatives, a company can strengthen the strings tying its employees’ motivation, the company’s values, and its vision for making a positive difference in the society.

So, how can this goal be achieved? There are a few simple steps to create the framework for executing seamless and effective employee volunteer programs. These are:

1. Goal setting: While planning an employee volunteer program, it is important to make the employees’ voices count. Set up the goals following the aims that the employees most align with. Taking an office wide poll and determining the sector or field that they are most passionate about serving. These should also reflect the company’s core values and the vision that the company stands for. The goals can then be determined based on inclusivity and creating a space for engaging and reaching diverse populations.
2. Identifying opportunities: Set the targets, timelines, and scalability of the projects by reaching out to the community and NGOs associated with the cause identified. Assessing the community’s needs and partnering with credible organizations can provide a realistic insight into the commitment required from the volunteers. Thus, nonprofits can help in gauging and discovering volunteering opportunities and skill sets required for executing tangible projects.
3. Compliance and budgetary requirements: With evolving regulations on CSR and the ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) scores for companies, it is crucial to conduct a compliance check for meeting every criterion. All endeavors require some financial aid. Therefore, the company’s financial capacity to fund these projects should be accounted for to create a realistic plan of action.
4. Motivating employees and team-building: Rolling out the calls for volunteers generates excitement and positivity in the workplace. As these opportunities help in inter-departmental interaction, team-building activities can be a part of motivating employees to participate in these programs. Another motivating factor can be setting up a rewards system for participating employees.
5. Evaluation and quantification: Information is a powerful tool for progress. As such, tracking the employee volunteer program from how many employees signed up to the number of beneficiaries, creates an important data set for the company. This monitoring system informs the success of the program and can be analyzed for removing roadblocks and optimizing future programs. Knowing the impact of the program can also be used for determining its scalability and taking the steps to increase participation and outreach.
6. Rewards and recognition: Recognizing the efforts of the employees in contributing towards the program boosts morale and confidence in taking up more such initiatives. Rewarding employees for their hard work and exceptional social service contributes to increased motivation and positivity in the workplace. Sharing the statistics and benefits from the volunteering program on social media platforms is also a step in providing recognition to the company and employees’ commitment to their ideals. It is a significant tool in building public relations and credibility.

These steps can be easily monitored and executed through a single software platform, such as that provided by SoulAce. Along with SoulAce, creating an employee volunteer program becomes engaging and enjoyable. By working with the management and creating customized strategies based on the company’s ideals and requirements, it continuously generates opportunities to keep up the flow of interactive volunteering opportunities for employees.

SoulAce has a database of over 500 NGO partners and an experience that spans across 20+ states and covers virtual and on-site projects. Our mobile and web interface allows for a centralized database for tracking and monitoring the progress of the projects. A page is also dedicated to social networking, thus enabling employees to maintain a stream of communication across the company.

Thus, armed with information, vision, and capabilities, companies can benefit from a software that caters to their specific needs in creating a bespoke sphere of employee volunteering. The steps outlined above can be immaculately executed, with meaningful and significant results being garnered for the company, the employees, and the society.