Given the current economic climate you may have expected employer-supported volunteering to be on the wane. However, research shows that employer-supported volunteering (ESV) schemes are continuing to grow in popularity.
CLC´s City Action has seen a 90% increase in matches between companies and volunteers in the first financial quarter of 2009. Approximately 70% of FTSE 100 companies have some kind of ESV programme1, whilst 20% of employees of medium-sized businesses and 14% of employees of small businesses have an ESV scheme open to them2.
Benefits of an ESV scheme
An ESV scheme can greatly enhance a company’s reputation and complement other community investment programmes, such as charitable and community donations, payroll giving schemes3, charity of the year partnerships, recycling office equipment. The case for implementing ESV schemes is strong, and a visible commitment to community involvement is now often asked for as part of many tendering processes. ESV is helpful in building a positive profile with local authorities and will frequently generate positive media coverage.
Case study: Barclays and Leonard Cheshire Disability
Barclays runs an ESV scheme with Leonard Cheshire Disability’s ‘Ready to Start’ programme. A pilot project was launched in 2007 which approached the concept of assessment in a novel way: Barclays would be judged on the quality of the support it gave to employees, while Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) would be assessed on its management of those volunteers involved in the programme at the same time. Advice and support was provided by specially-trained staff at Volunteer Centre Westminster, culminating in a tripartite initiative.
Ready to Start is a unique programme which started in October 2006 with the aim of helping 600 individuals with disabilities successfully launch their own business with the support of Barclays Bank employee volunteers acting as mentors. Volunteers praised the support they received from volunteer co-ordinators. One said: ‘It had a big impact’ and that a DVD on understanding the world from the perspective of a person with a disability was ‘excellent…it made you think’. Alan Hands, sponsorship and donations manager at Barclays Bank, concluded: ‘I feel it has really enhanced our relationship, provided an opportunity for us to look at how we each see things – and to do some fine tuning.’ He added that he would definitely recommend the process to other companies, advising them to ‘set time aside and look at it as a learning process. It’s especially good to get that feedback that you’re doing things well.’
How to get started
Setting up an ESV scheme needn’t be as big a commitment as you may think, and although many large firms choose to set up a formal volunteering schemes and community projects, often SMEs simply allow employees free time to arrange something for themselves.
Kimberley Rowley, Press Officer at a charity, organises her own ESV leave:
‘I have always worked in fairly small companies and as a result they have not had the community involvement schemes you often find in the City. However, this doesn’t mean they have neglected their ESV policy. I have six days paid leave during which I am able to organise my own volunteering placements. This year I arranged to volunteer at an animal sanctuary in Spain. As a languages graduate I found the placement offered me the opportunity to use my Spanish language skills, something which I am unable to do with my current job. Personally, I really appreciated the opportunity to keep this skill up-to-date, while doing something I enjoy that also benefits the community.’
With over 40% of the population in England and Wales involved in volunteering4, it makes sense for businesses to become involved too.
Pay and benefits
A vibrant ESV scheme can contribute to improved employee perceptions of the workplace, as well as higher levels of motivation and retention. In a survey by employment agency Reed, 78% of respondents cited being ‘inspired in my job’ as their main motivation for work compared with 22% who cited pay5. Another survey in 2007 found that the 54% of employees who did not have access to a company volunteering or giving scheme said they would like their employer to have one 6and ESV is now a factor in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for:
This change in thinking about ESV schemes means companies are beginning not only to see them as part of CSR, but also as part of their staff benefits such as pensions, health insurance and interest-free season ticket loans.
Retention and development
ESV schemes can also help with skills building for a workforce, especially in these difficult economic times. Training courses, team away days and social events are necessary elements of a business that values its workforce, but they can be costly.
ESV provides an opportunity to identify skills which employees need and develop them in real life settings. Employees can develop better communications and team-working skills through volunteering. Volunteering can give them an opportunity to lead projects and have responsibility for managing others sooner than might be possible in the conventional workplace. It can also expose them to a wider range of tasks than they might get in their day jobs, including planning, budgeting, staff and time management and evaluation. Meanwhile, community team challenge events provide the opportunity to build teams and new social relationships while helping the community.
Whether companies choose to support existing volunteering or develop their own programme, ESV can certainly benefit all concerned.
Given the current economic climate you may have expected employer-supported volunteering to be on the wane. However, research shows that employer-supported volunteering (ESV) schemes are continuing to grow in popularity.
CLC´s City Action has seen a 90% increase in matches between companies and volunteers in the first financial quarter of 2009. Approximately 70% of FTSE 100 companies have some kind of ESV programme1, whilst 20% of employees of medium-sized businesses and 14% of employees of small businesses have an ESV scheme open to them2.
Benefits of an ESV scheme
An ESV scheme can greatly enhance a company’s reputation and complement other community investment programmes, such as charitable and community donations, payroll giving schemes3, charity of the year partnerships, recycling office equipment. The case for implementing ESV schemes is strong, and a visible commitment to community involvement is now often asked for as part of many tendering processes. ESV is helpful in building a positive profile with local authorities and will frequently generate positive media coverage.
Case study: Barclays and Leonard Cheshire Disability
Barclays runs an ESV scheme with Leonard Cheshire Disability’s ‘Ready to Start’ programme. A pilot project was launched in 2007 which approached the concept of assessment in a novel way: Barclays would be judged on the quality of the support it gave to employees, while Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) would be assessed on its management of those volunteers involved in the programme at the same time. Advice and support was provided by specially-trained staff at Volunteer Centre Westminster, culminating in a tripartite initiative.
Ready to Start is a unique programme which started in October 2006 with the aim of helping 600 individuals with disabilities successfully launch their own business with the support of Barclays Bank employee volunteers acting as mentors. Volunteers praised the support they received from volunteer co-ordinators. One said: ‘It had a big impact’ and that a DVD on understanding the world from the perspective of a person with a disability was ‘excellent…it made you think’. Alan Hands, sponsorship and donations manager at Barclays Bank, concluded: ‘I feel it has really enhanced our relationship, provided an opportunity for us to look at how we each see things – and to do some fine tuning.’ He added that he would definitely recommend the process to other companies, advising them to ‘set time aside and look at it as a learning process. It’s especially good to get that feedback that you’re doing things well.’
How to get started
Setting up an ESV scheme needn’t be as big a commitment as you may think, and although many large firms choose to set up a formal volunteering schemes and community projects, often SMEs simply allow employees free time to arrange something for themselves.
Kimberley Rowley, Press Officer at a charity, organises her own ESV leave:
‘I have always worked in fairly small companies and as a result they have not had the community involvement schemes you often find in the City. However, this doesn’t mean they have neglected their ESV policy. I have six days paid leave during which I am able to organise my own volunteering placements. This year I arranged to volunteer at an animal sanctuary in Spain. As a languages graduate I found the placement offered me the opportunity to use my Spanish language skills, something which I am unable to do with my current job. Personally, I really appreciated the opportunity to keep this skill up-to-date, while doing something I enjoy that also benefits the community.’
With over 40% of the population in England and Wales involved in volunteering4, it makes sense for businesses to become involved too.
Pay and benefits
A vibrant ESV scheme can contribute to improved employee perceptions of the workplace, as well as higher levels of motivation and retention. In a survey by employment agency Reed, 78% of respondents cited being ‘inspired in my job’ as their main motivation for work compared with 22% who cited pay5. Another survey in 2007 found that the 54% of employees who did not have access to a company volunteering or giving scheme said they would like their employer to have one 6and ESV is now a factor in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for:
This change in thinking about ESV schemes means companies are beginning not only to see them as part of CSR, but also as part of their staff benefits such as pensions, health insurance and interest-free season ticket loans.
Retention and development
ESV schemes can also help with skills building for a workforce, especially in these difficult economic times. Training courses, team away days and social events are necessary elements of a business that values its workforce, but they can be costly.
ESV provides an opportunity to identify skills which employees need and develop them in real life settings. Employees can develop better communications and team-working skills through volunteering. Volunteering can give them an opportunity to lead projects and have responsibility for managing others sooner than might be possible in the conventional workplace. It can also expose them to a wider range of tasks than they might get in their day jobs, including planning, budgeting, staff and time management and evaluation. Meanwhile, community team challenge events provide the opportunity to build teams and new social relationships while helping the community.
Whether companies choose to support existing volunteering or develop their own programme, ESV can certainly benefit all concerned.
[1] Figures quoted from the 2007 National survey of volunteering and charitable giving by the Institute for Volunteering Research in partnership with the National Centre for Social Research and the Cabinet Office.
[2] Source: Business in the Community
[3] See Duncan Bannantyne’s article in this issue of The People Bulletin: ‘Geared for Giving’
[4] Citizenship Survey 2009
[5] Reed Survey of 5000 employees 2008
[6] From the 2007 National survey of volunteering and charitable giving by the Institute for Volunteering Research andthe National Centre for Social Research.