Volunteering enhances individuals and companies in many aspects. Volunteerism and corporate engagement leads to happier employees. Companies with a pronounced corporate social responsibility program attract all employees, but especially our millennials. A recent study by DeLoitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey shows that 88 percent of millennials gravitated toward companies with a strong foundation in community service. When employees see your company take interest in them, they in turn are more invested and loyal to the business.
Employee satisfaction is one of the greatest benefits to a strong community model; however, there are many other reasons your company should consider building your program. Advantages include building time management skills, creating stronger relationships both internally and externally, enhancing team work and developing professional job skills. Volunteering your time is the answer to becoming more well-rounded, finding your passion, and giving back to your community.
One of the most successful ways company departments can interact with each other is to volunteer together. This in turn builds trust and increases a company’s intelligence. Existing relationships are strengthened and new relationships are formed. When employees volunteer together, profiles and job titles are not relevant and departments become people with shared interests.
Many argue volunteering is beneficial for your health and here’s why. Research shows that over 90 percent of volunteers say volunteering has improved their mood, approximately 80 percent say it has lowered their stress levels, and 96 percent of volunteers say their experiences enrich their purpose in life. When you choose to volunteer, you are choosing to invest in your community. This gives people a sense of belonging because of the deep connections they form.
Volunteers are in high demand because they play an imperative role in our society. Oftentimes, non-profits are short-staffed and have a tight-budget. Therefore, agencies need to find creative ways to meet their yearly program goals. Eighty percent of nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers and volunteers do about one-third of the work. Without this help, organizations would simply not be able to impact the community as much as they do.
At United Way, we focus heavily on connecting companies, agencies, individuals, groups and corporations to volunteer opportunities. Last year, we able to connect our community to over 2,800 hours of high-value service projects. To put that in monetary terms, that is equivalent to over $65,000 leveraged for many nonprofit organizations. Annually, we partner with more than 125 local agencies and over 600 companies throughout Northwest Louisiana because we believe that by connecting the community, we ultimately improve the community.
Are you or your company looking for ways to get involved in the community, but don’t know where to start? Does searching for volunteer opportunities and coordinating projects seem overwhelming? Every day, and especially during National Volunteer Week, the United Way works to coordinate projects throughout Northwest Louisiana and due to the recent floods, many volunteers are still needed to help some of our closest neighbors. Even though the rain is over and the flood waters are finally receding, the long road to recovery is just beginning for over 3,000 households in Northwest Louisiana. Won’t you honor someone today by making a pledge to get involved?
Contact our Community Engagement Coordinator at 318-677-2504, Ext. 123 to get involved.