Want to know how to drive up your employee engagement?

Giving people paid time off to volunteer in the local community can be off-putting for some employers; especially given you have your own targets to reach. But could you be missing out on a priceless opportunity for your business? As part of #RBWeek (Responsible Business Week) our CSR expert, Leigh, talks about the impact that volunteering has had not just on our community, but on our business.

There are many reasons for engaging in employee volunteering beyond the positive impact in brand value – for your business, employees and the local community.

According to Business in the Community (BITC), of people who took part in their employee volunteering Give & Gain Day; 87% reported an improved perception of their employer and 82% reported feeling more committed to their employer.  Investing in your community drives employee recruitment and retention.

70% of employee volunteers reported developing their time management, communication, influencing, decision-making and leadership skills.  So, as well as empowering employees and boosting morale, the new skills and personal development opportunities will be a benefit back in the workplace.

The biggest impact of course will be within the community, and the organisations, that receive your support.  From charities to local schools, youth clubs or community groups – any help can make a huge difference.  81% of community partners had an improved perception of the employer they worked with and 99% would recommend the partner company to others.

Corporate Social Responsibility, and in particular employee volunteering is at the heart of Sage.  We’re very proud of our UK roots and even though we’ve matured into a global company we haven’t forgotten how important it is to support local communities – after all, we haven’t grown to who we are today without a helping hand along the way.

We’ve used the skills we have within our business – teaching software coding to young people, offering practical advice to small businesses to help them grow, and of course painting a few fences and renovating some community gardens along the way.

We believe it makes good business sense to support the communities near to where we’re based – after all, they’re full of our colleagues, customers, suppliers and their families who all play a part in our success.

If you think that your business could benefit from giving your employees time to volunteer, visiting www.bitc.org.uk is an excellent way to start.

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