Millennial Volunteering
In case you haven’t heard, millennials are not just thinking about the reputation of future employers from a financial standpoint. They’re heavily weighing their volunteering activity into the final decision, too. As reported by Stefanie Greenberg in the Huffington Post, a recent survey by The Case Foundation and Achieve nonprofits shows that just under 50 percent of millennials are volunteering through work, and an even half consider a company’s charitable involvement a major influence when deciding where to work.
Greenberg outlines several things you can do to kickstart your workplace volunteering involvement. Among them are suggestions such as…
Getting in Touch Early
For logistical reasons on every level, you can’t just pinpoint a cause and then show up the next day. Other companies may moving to volunteer with the same organization— in which case there are too many volunteers). Or, the organization just doesn’t have the immediate time and resources ready to accommodate volunteers at the spur of the moment.
Think Outside the Box
While Volunteering conjures up images of working in community gardens or providing company in nursing homes, many organizations need volunteers that fall outside of the obvious expectations. Greenberg notes that some nonprofits may need help with community outreach, or even something as nuanced as administering follow up surveys.
Funding
Nonprofits like volunteers, but they could definitely use some money, too! If your company is sending volunteers, consider picking up the check on supplies and transportation.
Keep your Pledge
This is a no-brainer; simple follow through. If you declare that you will send a certain number of volunteers, do your best to make sure you deliver on that promise. Better yet, get your employees involved in selecting a nonprofit to work with. That way you know the enthusiasm is there, and you can have some peace of mind when the time comes to put action behind your words.
Engage Employees
Don’t just slip a volunteering notice in the company email. Make sure it’s announced during meetings, and stir the conversation throughout the day. If you relegate it to the side of the table, the chances that employees will totally forget about it are much higher.
