The world around us is constantly changing, putting it in a perpetual state of evolution. Similarly, the way we as humans are able to interact with it is undergoing a comparable change. What’s remained constant is our propensity as a people to help those in need. So while technological inventions like the internet, smartphones and apps like PayPal and Venmo have changed the way we give our money to charities, one thing has remained constant: volunteer efforts are an under appreciated and often needed way of getting involved.
Wth organizations around the world beginning to recognize the importance of good corporate social responsibility practices, leaders are scrambling for ways to get their organizations involved. It’s been shown that businesses that prioritize social responsibility have the tendency to turn better profits over time thanks in part to an increase in public perception. Many means of bettering an organization’s social responsibility take both time and money–two factors that put a burden on an organization’s finances.
Volunteering, though, solves both of those issues. The benefits from volunteer efforts are both immediate and evident in addition to being completely cost-free. Organizing a group volunteer effort on a weekend or after work hours doesn’t cost a business a dime, but gives priceless help to a community organizations in need of assistance.
What’s perhaps better is that you won’t have to make any large-scale changes to your existing CSR plan to accommodate your volunteering efforts–using websites like VolunteerMatch can help link you and your business to a program in need of volunteers almost instantly.
On top of the obvious benefits to charities and nonprofits in need, the benefits of group volunteering to your organization can’t be understated. Employee engagement and recruitment, as well as retention, tends to increase as a result of volunteer efforts. People seem to be drawn together by the idea of helping others, so incentivizing volunteer efforts is often unnecessary.
Perhaps the best part about working volunteerism into your CSR plan is the fact that it’s never too late to start getting involved. At any given time, during any given week, on any given day, you can get up, get out, and give back. Whether it’s April or December, whether you’re in Maine or Arizona, volunteering as a part of your organization is always mutually beneficial.