The advantages of corporate volunteering: Two sides of gardening
By Deborah Mobberley
Worldwide, one of the most pressing challenges for enterprises now and in the immediate future is holding on to good employees. Most Australian companies recognise that developing employee loyalty and a positive corporate spirit is crucial, but many are perplexed about how to gain advantage in the 'war' for talent. Gaining, training and retaining key employees are crucial to maintaining a competitive edge.
One way some of Australia's leading edge corporations are developing market advantage is through corporate volunteering. Ultimately, this means that Australian companies are able to 'quietly enhance' their future prospects and their image through innovative social responsibility programs and, as a consequence, there is huge benefit for employees, companies and the community.
A truism is emerging: If an organisation wants its employees to look beyond the limitations of their job descriptions, then the organisation itself must strive 'beyond the every day' and do something different and visible within the wider community.
What is meant by 'corporate volunteering'?
The present era is one in which government is 'shrinking' and philanthropic engagement is coming to the fore. The media and the communities in which it operate is expecting multinational enterprises to respond to cross-border issues such as global warming and poverty. In response to this expectation, an increasing number of enterprises are developing social responsibility programs.
Internationally, social responsibility programs have become a powerful technique to develop positive communication and interaction among the organisation, the employee and those within the communities in which everyone lives and works.
Corporate volunteering is usually the cornerstone in social responsibility strategies, whereby the company facilitates activities where the employees themselves can engage in much-needed community work. Flow-on benefits include better teamwork, leadership development and enhanced employee loyalty and morale.
Individuals often feel especially 'rewarded' if they have a tangible, concrete opportunity to directly make a difference to the quality of life of someone less fortunate. Organisations can use corporate volunteering as a method of putting their employees directly into community work and, for a small cost in time, organisation and negotiation the benefits are immense.
If building a more committed, engaged, creative and energetic workplace is high on your company's agenda, then corporate volunteering might be the foundation of your staff retention and development program.
Corporate volunteering makes a difference to an appreciative charity
ACE Insurance, a major insurance company, and Easy Care Gardening, a charity organisation, provide some details about both sides of corporate volunteering.
ACE Insurance talks about how to find out about corporate volunteering and how to go about it. When ACE Insurance held an international volunteer day for their staff this year, The Centre for Volunteering was the lead organisation that Julie Skillings, ACE Insurance's HR Manager, knew she could turn to. The Centre for Volunteering was able to prepare a list of opportunities and places that ACE Insurance could offer staff members. "It was the first time we had a day for volunteering," explained Julie. "So it was really helpful to be able to go to one organisation that had experience with this and could put us in touch with charity organisations that could use our help."
Weeding and pruning are a long way from the busy world of insurance but, on the advice of The Centre for Volunteering, Easy Care Gardening proved a popular choice for ACE Insurance staff. "People liked the idea of spending a day volunteering. It made them feel like they are contributing back to society and doing someone's garden is a great way of quickly seeing the benefit of your efforts", noted Julie. "It's a win-win situation for everyone."
As for the charity's side, Margaret Love from Easy Care Gardening tells us that her clients feel better knowing that their gardens are still being maintained by friendly corporate helpers and they can stay longer in their homes. "We really welcome corporate volunteers," said Margaret. A Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation, EasyCare engages volunteers to tend overgrown domestic gardens and turn them into safe, easy-to-maintain areas for the elderly, frail and disabled. Fifty-six per cent of EasyCare's clients are over 80 years of age.
"We have mostly individual volunteers but corporates offer us teams of enthusiastic people who can save us a lot of time," said Margaret. "A company can offer a team of motivated people who will 'blitz' a garden, allowing Easy Care's individual volunteers to implement a quarterly maintenance program from then on."
Margaret explained: "We work in teams of about six per home which is enough to maintain a garden on a quarterly basis but we have used corporate teams with two to 22 people. The corporate volunteers we get through The Centre for Volunteering contribute directly to helping many elderly and disabled people stay in their homes for longer."
What becomes apparent to everyone involved is the unique team-building benefits. "Just one day can make a big difference," Margaret noted. "The volunteers get to meet our client and they get immediate feedback for all their hard work. They go home feeling that they have made a very valued contribution to the life of our client." As for the benefits to the corporation, Margaret has her own theory. "It seems a great way for companies to enhance their teamwork as their employees work together in a cooperative way, but in a completely different environment from what they are used to. They are highly motivated when they arrive, and feel great when they leave."
More information
If you and your employer would like to try out a corporate volunteering experience 'to test the waters', phone Lynne Dalton, CEO and Corporate Volunteering Manager, on 02 9261 3600 for more information.
Visit Easy Care Gardening
The Centre
for Volunteering [ABN 28 002 416 024]
Level 2, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
T: 02 9261 3600 | F: 02 9261 4033 | E: info@volunteering.com.au
www.volunteering.com.au