Businesses Supporting Volunteering and Community Service

Many businesses and organizations understand that community work is important. Communities that have higher engagement from their residents are usually more successful. With this knowledge, some companies choose to support their workers by helping their communities.

Volunteer Time

Some businesses give employees paid time off (PTO) so they can volunteer in the community.  This is sometimes referred to as volunteer time off (VTO). Essentially, companies will allow their employees to volunteer their time outside of work but will still pay them for a normal work day. Some companies even offer volunteer bonuses.

Other businesses choose to offer flexible hours each year that employees can use to volunteer. This offers employees more options to decide both when and where they choose to volunteer. Either way, businesses and organizations are encouraging staff to work in the community by rewarding them for their service.

Why Is It Good?

Why would a business or organization pay its employees when they are not at work? Here are a few reasons:

Most businesses know the perks of supporting volunteering and community service. These perks outweigh the time that employees may not be at work. Community service helps workers let others know about the company they work for. This provides a positive image for the business and shows the company is doing good things by supporting the community.

Also, employees gain skills and experience from volunteering. For example, they can become better leaders and team players by working in groups. People also feel better after volunteering because they have done something good for others. It can make employees happier, which translates to better workers.

Finally, the organization or event is usually in the same area as the business that is sponsoring their employees as volunteers. This engages the citizens within the area and helps the organization improve and succeed, which helps the whole community grow positively.

Overall, volunteering can tie community and employee interests to the workplace. It can also make a positive impact on a business or organization, the employees, and the community.

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