Employer-supported volunteering

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When we think about volunteering, we often think about a non profit recruiting and involving volunteers to help them with their work. However, organisations in the private, public and non profit sectors can and do encourage their own staff to volunteer in their own or in work time. This is usually referred to as employer-supported volunteering (sometimes referred to as ESV).

Volunteering organisations and community groups may often develop partnerships with businesses so that there is a regular flow of volunteers and a close engagement between the organisation and the business. Chambers of Commerce and local business infrastructure organisations (like Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership) may help in this.

Benefits of employer-supported volunteering

This approach to volunteering can be a fulfilling experience for everyone. The employees gain new skills and experiences, the organisations can develop future leaders and strong teams and the organisations they volunteer for have a rich source of experience, expertise and enthusiasm.

A survey by workSMART (a Trade Union Congress website) found that:

'three-quarters of employers prefer to recruit people with volunteering experience on their CV rather than those without it. Voluntary work is unlikely to be the main factor that persuades an employer to take on a particular applicant, but it will certainly help your chances. At the very least, employers favour people who show enthusiasm, energy and drive, and there are few better ways to demonstrate those characteristics than by doing voluntary work'.

Pitfalls of employer-supported volunteering

While ESV can benefit employers and their staff, charities and workers in public services, it is important to ensure that the needs of all parties are matched. For example, an employer may want to develop team building through decorating a charity's office but the charity may really need a new photocopier!

Business in the Community and some Volunteer Centres can 'broker' volunteering opportunities for companies and advise how best to plan and implement ESV.

eVOLution act as broker between the private, public and third sectors developing relationships and projects that meet the needs of the client. Projects such as team challenges, fundraising board membership and skill sharing opportunities can be taken on both individually or as a group.

For example, Darlington Building Society have teamed up with Age Concern to work together on their own version of 'Silver Surfer' projects. Staff from DBS are volunteering to run the session once a month from Age Concern where they will pass on their computer skills to the older residents of Darlington.

Further reading

• Volunteering: The most cost effective way to train and develop your staff
• Employer supported volunteering - The guide
• Managing for Success: Volunteers’ views on their involvement and support (pdf from the Institute for Volunteering Research)
• Volunteering and Society in the 21st Century

Useful links

• Employer-supported volunteering (Volunteering England): information for employers and employees
• Leap Corporate Responsibility (LeapCR) is an online platform dedicated to matching employees with volunteering activities and charity events in their local community.
• Investing in Volunteers: quality mark scheme for employers who can demonstrate good practice in employer-supported volunteering.