What is Employer Supported Volunteering?
Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) is all forms of volunteering that is carried out by employees, supported by their employer. Many companies across the UK assist their employees who volunteer, or provide schemes which encourage them to volunteer. This may be formal, or informally agreed with line managers, and can form part of a larger Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. This Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) can be given in various forms, including:
- being able to leave work half an hour early one day a week to attend a meeting – either through flexible hours or time off in lieu schemes
- having limited free use of the work photocopier or telephone
- using the printer to print out letters to parents
- extra time off, sometimes paid, during the school holidays for youth camps, or days out
- providing a room for a community group to meet
- helping to fundraise
- recognition in company magazine or newsletter
- How does Employer Supported Volunteering benefit companies?
Did you know that 80 per cent of employers who have volunteer-friendly policies feel that ESV benefits their company? Employees who volunteer bring a wide range of skills and experience gained through volunteering to their job. Supporting employees who volunteer can be a cost effective way for employers to develop the transferable and ‘soft’ skills of their workforce, without paying for training.
According to a Time-Bank Employer Attitude Survey (Continental Research July 2004), 68% of employers feel that volunteering can add skills to their workforce, and 43% think that employees who undertake voluntary work and learn new skills have a better chance of promotion and earning a higher salary.
Employer Supported Volunteering can also boost performance and morale by engaging employees in something they are passionate about. It raises job satisfaction. ESV can also add value to the image of the company, by involving them in the community.
Hold a Volunteer Fair
We can also help you get your staff involved; if you have the space to invite different charities to come into your offices you could hold a volunteer fair! Employees can come down on their lunch break and look at different ways they can get involved.
Need More Information
You can contact the Portsmouth Volunteering Team by email – volunteer@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Employee Supported Volunteering is good for your business and good for your workforce. Employees who volunteer through work are twice as likely to rate the corporate culture as positive, feel loyal to and proud to work for the company, be satisfied with career progression and be satisfied with their employer.
Volunteer Together as a Team
Volunteering together, as a team, is really popular and it’s easy to see why. It is a brilliant way of experiencing something completely different as a group, having fun and crucially achieving something really worthwhile. Whether you are a team of work colleagues, a group of friends, a faith group or even a family – team volunteering is an easy and enjoyable way to get involved and make a difference.
Team Opportunities for Employees
People who work well together as a team are one of the most valuable assets any employer can have. There are many team building tools available but few are as satisfying, inexpensive and widely beneficial as a community challenge. Rather than spending large amounts of money on a conventional team building day, connecting with a local community-based organisation can provide both employers and teams with many benefits:
- Great value for money
- An outstanding sense of achievement for all who take part
- A real team building experience, impossible to replicate in the training room
- Delivery of your corporate social responsibility policy objectives
More and more companies, big and small, are now seeing the benefits of team volunteering challenges in their local community. There is no charge for choosing one of the one-off/event team volunteering opportunities below. (NB: if they happen outside your normal employment hours you should consider time off in lieu arrangements.)
If there’s nothing of interest listed below, email us with your “offer” of support and we’ll consider including it (also free of charge) in our blog with it going out to subscribing community and charity organisers and via email bulletin to 200+ Portsmouth based groups and organisations – they can then respond with suitable opportunities/tasks that we don’t already know about which we’ll pass to you to progress and/or blog for other teams. Please note that this process usually requires at least 6 weeks notice if you have a specific date(s) in mind. If you would like Portsmouth Together to act as a broker between your company and the host organisation, to source suitable opportunities, and to co-ordinate the arrangements, a fee will apply. Email us to request more details.
