What about the workers? The workforce benefits of corporate volunteer programs

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the workforce benefits associated with formal corporate volunteer initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was administered to 26 corporations with formal volunteer programs. A sample of approximately 500 respondents provided the descriptive data described in this manuscript.

Findings

The descriptive findings of this research provide a top ten list of workforce benefits associated with formal volunteer initiatives. Benefits include personal and professional development, enhanced workforce camaraderie and teamwork, improved organizational pride, reduction in work‐related stress, and improved work‐life balance.

Research limitations/implications

The employees came from a convenience, targeted sample of 26 companies that already had formal volunteer programs in place.

Practical implications

These findings make a strong case for organizations to increase and expand their corporate volunteer strategies.

Social implications

The implications of this study make a strong business case for organizations to expand their volunteer initiatives that also create positive social benefits for their stakeholders.

Originality/value

This research is filling in a research gap in the area of corporate social responsibility from the perspective of the individual employees that are engaged in these activities.

Citation

Longenecker, C.O., Beard, S. and Scazzero, J.A. (2013), "What about the workers? The workforce benefits of corporate volunteer programs", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 9-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281311291213