For business owners or corporations focused on growing their companies, economic troubles can be discouraging, but it is precisely moments like these when taking time to give back to the community can be just the refresher needed.
The advantages of volunteering as a business go on and on. By taking time out to do volunteer projects as a company, a business not only gains publicity and raises a positive community profile, but it also fosters good feelings among potential customers and clients.
Increase Employee Motivation and Teamwork
Corporate volunteering can also increase the cooperation and motivation of the employee team. An increasingly popular option for building morale and teamwork is for corporations to volunteer their staff for projects. Companies that spend thousands of dollars on corporate retreats and teamwork building seminars might save themselves the trouble and money by choosing instead to volunteer as an organization. In addition, all other things being equal, what client wouldn’t prefer doing business with a socially conscious enterprise?
Ideas for Volunteering as a Company
The next step is to find a project. Several websites promote volunteering opportunities such as volunteermatch.org or idealist.org. In fact, volunteermatch.org offers sections specifically for corporations. Sites such as these list national and local organizations needing help and contact information to get involved. Popular options include:
- participating in a cleanup of a city park, nearby body of water or other natural feature
- planting trees or flowers
- sponsoring an event to raise money for an organization
- volunteering professional services from the company
- temporarily donating employees with specialized skills to a volunteer organization
- participating in a race, walk or athletic event to raise money
- sponsoring a children's sports team
- holding a food drive or supply drive for local relief organizations
Volunteering as a corporation brings many benefits, but reluctance to make a long-term commitment to a cause is natural for businesses whose work loads ebb and flow. When on deadline for an important client or new product launch, volunteering could create conflicts, so flexibility is another consideration when choosing the right opportunity.
The HandsOn Network can be a good option in this case. The network of more than 250 action centers coordinates with non-profit organizations in communities in several countries. It facilitates more than 30,000 projects each month, and many of those can be taken on as a single project commitment. This eliminates time spent searching for the right organization to work with and the requirement of extended involvement. However, HandsOn does offer many long-term volunteer opportunities. Whatever the project selected, volunteering as a company is a worthwhile and rewarding activity for the businesses that chose to get involved.
Libby Black - Libby Black is a journalist, copywriter, and web designer. She has been writing for publication since 2002, and her work has appeared in ...
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