As hybrid work environments become increasingly prevalent, companies face the challenge of maintaining employee engagement and community involvement. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant drop in formal volunteering rates, according to data from AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census. From 2019 to 2021, the formal volunteering rate plummeted from 30 percent to 23 percent, marking the steepest decline since this data started being collected in 2002. However, even amid this downturn, a silver lining emerged as virtual volunteering saw a significant uptick. By October 2020, 51 percent of nonprofits had increased their virtual volunteering initiatives, as reported by VolunteerMatch. This shift presents a unique opportunity for companies to explore and implement virtual volunteering programs, ensuring they do not overlook the potential these initiatives hold for fostering a strong company culture and community engagement.
The Shift to Virtual Volunteering
Traditional, in-person volunteering activities have always played a crucial role in community engagement, from organizing community cleanups to serving at soup kitchens. However, fully or partially remote teams now face more challenges in participating in these activities. The Generosity Commission, an independent project of the Giving USA Foundation, recently reported that overall volunteering rates continue to remain low, accentuating the need for corporate initiatives that focus on virtual volunteering. Mike Gianoni, co-chair of the Generosity Commission and CEO of Blackbaud, firmly believes that volunteering and donating are essential to fostering a robust company culture, which ultimately contributes to corporate success. According to the Generosity Commission’s report, companies should enhance their volunteer programs with virtual opportunities to adapt to the evolving hybrid or remote work environments.
In this new landscape, companies can no longer rely solely on traditional volunteering activities to engage their employees. Instead, they need to explore innovative approaches to virtual volunteering that accommodate the flexibility and diverse nature of hybrid work setups. This necessitates a strategic shift in how companies organize and promote their volunteer programs. Virtual volunteering offers a viable solution to maintain the spirit of community involvement while aligning with the constraints and opportunities presented by remote work. By offering virtual volunteering options, companies can ensure their employees remain connected to meaningful causes and contribute to societal good, regardless of their physical location.
Identifying Employee Interests
A successful virtual volunteering program begins with identifying the causes that employees are passionate about. This step is crucial to ensure that the initiative resonates with the team and garners enthusiastic participation. Andy VandenBerg, co-founder of WeHero, a corporate volunteering platform, emphasizes the importance of surveying employees to understand their interests and preferences. By doing so, companies can tailor their virtual volunteering programs to align with their employees’ passions, thereby boosting engagement and participation. For instance, Mediavine, an advertising management company, successfully incorporated a virtual volunteering activity that involved making toys for abandoned pets. This initiative resonated well with their pet-friendly work culture and garnered significant employee involvement.
The choice of format for virtual volunteering is equally vital to the program’s success. Options for virtual volunteering can be diverse, ranging from remote tutoring sessions to collective digital projects, such as mapping disaster-prone areas. Andrea Bell of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals highlights the wide array of virtual volunteering formats she has observed in different companies. To maximize participation and impact, companies need to establish the right frequency for these activities, striking a balance between regular virtual sessions and occasional in-person gatherings, such as conferences or offsite meetings. By doing so, organizations can create a comprehensive volunteering program that offers flexibility and caters to the diverse interests of their workforce.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Volunteering
In a hybrid work environment, it is imperative to offer both synchronous and asynchronous volunteering options to accommodate different schedules and time zones. This approach ensures that all employees, regardless of their location or work hours, have the opportunity to participate in meaningful volunteer activities. Evans of Mediavine and VandenBerg of WeHero support the idea of combining collective and asynchronous efforts to enhance the overall impact and enjoyment of virtual volunteering programs. Sequoia’s approach to virtual volunteering serves as an exemplary model of best practices in this regard. The company organizes synchronous events that feature professional guides, icebreakers, and even music to foster engagement and connection among participants.
Sequoia’s virtual volunteering activities have included recording audiobooks for hospitalized children, organizing digital trash cleanup events for Earth Day, and writing letters to isolated seniors. These events are thoughtfully structured to accommodate those who cannot attend synchronously, allowing them to participate asynchronously. This flexibility not only boosts participation rates but also ensures that the impact of the volunteering efforts is far-reaching and inclusive. By offering a mix of synchronous and asynchronous options, companies can create a dynamic and engaging virtual volunteering program that caters to the diverse needs and schedules of their workforce.
Partnering with Virtual Volunteer Organizations
To set up a successful virtual volunteering program, companies should consider partnering with organizations that specialize in creating and managing virtual volunteer opportunities. Sequoia’s partnership with Goodera, a company that facilitates corporate volunteering programs, is highlighted as a successful example in this context. Through this partnership, Sequoia has been able to engage both its internal team and clients in biannual virtual volunteering weeks, creating a strong sense of community and shared purpose. Effective partnerships with virtual volunteer organizations require a mutual understanding of goals and a commitment to evaluating the impact of the efforts.
VandenBerg stresses that success in virtual volunteering should be measured not merely by participation rates or volunteer hours but by the tangible impact delivered. This comprehensive approach ensures that volunteer initiatives are meaningful and beneficial to all parties involved. By partnering with experienced organizations, companies can leverage their expertise and resources to create impactful and engaging virtual volunteering programs. Additionally, these partnerships can provide companies with access to a wide range of volunteering opportunities and ensure that the initiatives are well-coordinated and effectively implemented.
Enhancing Company Culture Through Volunteering
A successful virtual volunteering program starts by identifying the causes employees are passionate about. This crucial step ensures the initiative appeals to the team, encouraging enthusiastic participation. Andy VandenBerg, co-founder of WeHero, a corporate volunteering platform, stresses the necessity of surveying employees to gauge their interests and preferences. This allows companies to tailor their virtual volunteering programs to align with employees’ passions, enhancing engagement. For example, Mediavine, an advertising management company, successfully incorporated a virtual volunteering activity where employees made toys for abandoned pets. This initiative matched their pet-friendly culture and garnered significant involvement.
Equally important is choosing the right format for virtual volunteering. The options are diverse, from remote tutoring to collective digital projects like mapping disaster-prone areas. Andrea Bell of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals notes the variety of virtual volunteering formats used by different companies. To optimize participation and impact, companies should establish the right frequency for activities, balancing regular virtual sessions with occasional in-person gatherings like conferences. This approach helps create a comprehensive volunteering program that offers flexibility and caters to the diverse interests of the workforce.
