By Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ, MVLCE
“To give, is to receive happiness and workplace satisfaction.”
Happiness is something we all want, yet we often fail to make it happen whether at home or in the workplace. Happiness is definitely a choice. However one of the most powerful tools that feeds our brains and hearts in our efforts to achieve happiness is often forgotten: giving and volunteering. Create a “new” benefits package for your workplace that includes organized giving and volunteer opportunities. It will cost you little, and the returns are enormous!
Did you know that…
According to the 2017 Doing Good is Good For You Study:
- More than 75% of employees who had volunteered said they felt healthier.
- Over 90% said volunteering put them in a better mood.
- More than 75% reported experiencing less stress.
- Over 95% said it enriched their sense of purpose.
- Employees who volunteer have improved time management skills and better connection with peers.
Structuring Your Volunteer Program
Establishing a new employee volunteer benefit program has long-lasting benefits. First, you’ll need to think about how you’ll structure and scale your volunteer program. Consider the following questions:
- Will you offer paid time off to employees so they may give their time to causes that are most important to them, or will the practice select the team’s causes?
- How many volunteer activities will you offer in a given year, specific to public programs, visitor services, behind-the-scenes activities, fundraising events, and/or community outreach?
- What roles do you foresee volunteers playing within your hospital?
- What funds can you afford to budget and make available to your volunteer program?
- Have you considered partnership opportunities with a nonprofit organization?
- How will you market your volunteer program to your employees?
If a formal, hands-on volunteer program isn’t possible for your organization due to limited resources, you may want to consider seasonal pet food drives, or building out a model where comp time is earned through outside individual volunteerism. Either way, focus on making volunteerism an expectation in your practice. That expectation earns employees a tangible benefit, and the practice is rewarded through higher levels of engagement and happier team members.