It is interesting to note trends in business approaches to volunteering. A research report conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a professional human resources membership association, suggests community volunteer programs and paid time-off for volunteering are becoming increasingly popular employee benefits. The Employee Benefits Study, conducted in February of 2013, asked a sample of HR professionals from SHRM’s membership database if they offered or planned to offer a list of 299 benefits. Of the 4000 SHRM members who received the survey 518 HR professionals elected to respond. Their answers serve as an important indicator of employee benefit trends.
The 2013 survey found that 20% of respondents offered some form of paid time-off for volunteering, while 1% planned to offer it in the next twelve months. This is a sizeable improvement from 2009 when only 15% of companies offered paid time-off for volunteering. The study also examined community volunteer programs. It found that 47% of firms had a community volunteer program compared to just 42% in 2009. Taken together, these findings indicate that companies are looking to expand their volunteer schemes.
There are a number of advantages to offering community volunteer programs and paid time-off for volunteering. The advantages of community volunteer programs have been well-documented on this blog and often generate shared-value for the community and the business. They have also been linked to increased employee retention. Paid time-off for volunteering is crucial for those looking to volunteer on top of personal and professional responsibilities. It is a simple way to allow employees to pursue important causes. Overall, this study offers some refreshing news about business approaches to volunteering. It appears an increasing number of companies are recognizing the benefits it offers to the workplace, the brand, and the community.