Boosting Employee Wellbeing Through Volunteering
The volunteering revolution continues! You know that belief we’ve been shouting about now for years that offering employee volunteering can create a happier more fulfilled team? Well its just been given the stamp of approval by one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
A recent study from Oxford University has proven that amidst a plethora of popular wellbeing benefits such as online coaching, mental and physical health apps, and financial literacy support, volunteering stands alone in its efficacy to improve the overall wellbeing of surveyed employees.
In the contemporary global workplace of 2024, prioritising the well-being of employees has become a widespread practice, and an expectation from job seekers. Recent data indicates that more than half of UK employers have implemented a 'formal wellbeing strategy,' and an additional third offer at least occasional support.
Separate studies also reveal that 73% of employers have established some form of employee volunteering policy. So, it goes without saying that employee volunteering is a popular benefit that is here to stay.
Despite the availability of valuable resources such as online therapy and personal financial advice, the study suggests that the impact is not strongly associated with the workplace. While these well-being benefits may be provided at no extra cost by employers, the research shows that the 50,000+ surveyed individuals, at 233 different organisations did not experience an enhanced sense of well-being during working hours. This implies that although these resources have obvious inherent value, their utilisation outside of paid work hours does not necessarily translate into improved well-being at work, or an improved perception of you as an employer.
Corporate Volunteering on the other hand is traditionally done as a team at work, and so acts as a welcome, inspiring change to employees’ day-to-day work. Even with more companies moving towards a remote-first volunteering platform solution to engage employees in giving back, the volunteering time is still usually offered inside their paid hours.
So if you want to not only boost employee's wellbeing but also ensure that they feel more connected, valued and engaged with your company bringing more passion into their role and the team - volunteering is the benefit to go for! 🙌🏼
If you’re curious about organising volunteering for your team, tell us what you’re looking for here.
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