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How Volunteering Promotes Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

 

Across America, companies of all shapes and sizes are working to create a workplace that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. But reaching true Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) is easier said than done. Those who have found success find great rewards. 3 in 4 job seekers and workers prefer diverse companies which leads to more qualified applicants. Bottomline: bringing DE&I to your company can increase revenue, deepen employee inclusion, and improve employee recruitment. A major catalyst for this inclusion is company volunteering.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Why is volunteering important?

Volunteering is all about what we care about, the values we hold dear, and how much effort we put into supporting these values. These values reflect your vision for your community, the vision that you have for the people you care about, and the world that you live in. As Charity Village puts it, volunteering “is the interplay between what we value and the value that we create through our actions.”

How does volunteering promote DE&I?

Volunteering can help to build a sense of community and shared purpose within a company, which can in turn promote more equitable and inclusive practices. For example, if a company’s volunteer efforts are focused on addressing issues of poverty or discrimination, employees may become more aware of and invested in addressing these issues in the workplace as well. Finally, by actively seeking out and engaging with diverse organizations and communities in their volunteer efforts, companies can help to create more inclusive and equitable partnerships and networks. This can lead to more diverse perspectives and voices being represented in the company and in its decision-making processes.

So what happens when you put volunteering and DE&I together, you get something great! Generus makes these team-building events come to life. These events not only promote DE&I but also help improve employee engagement and workplace volunteerism. Let’s talk about some of these virtual volunteering opportunities.

Early Learning Kits for Children in Under-Resourced Communities

In this event, we explore how early interventions promote school readiness in toddlers and preschool-aged children from families with low income. These programs support early learning development, and family well-being and yield significant long-term impacts in building stronger communities by promoting equity and opportunity.

Painting Art Journals for LGBTQIA+ Youth and Young Adults

LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults are at greater risk for depression, homelessness, and death by suicide. Research has found that sketching and journaling provide important therapeutic benefits. Generus strives to bring support to the nonprofits through art and therapeutic writing helping all youth and young adults thrive.

 

Sources:

Paula. “The Value of Volunteering.” CharityVillage, CharityVillage, 26 Nov. 2019, https://charityvillage.com/the_value_of_volunteering/#:~:text=Volunteering%20reflects%20our%20values%20%E2%80%93%20what,society%2C%20and%20for%20those%20volunteering. 

Reiners, Bailey. “54 Diversity in the Workplace Statistics to Know.” Built In, Built In, https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/diversity-in-the-workplace-statistics. 

Tennille, Jerome. “Supporting a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy by Including Skills-Based Employee Volunteering.” Business 2 Community, Business 2 Community., 30 June 2020, https://www.business2community.com/social-business/supporting-a-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-strategy-by-including-skills-based-employee-volunteering-02323666.

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The Value of Volunteering: Why Giving Back is an Investment

Volunteering is a great way to be selfless, and it’s also a boon for your team. Through volunteering, you’ll see long-term benefits for retention and productivity. And when you go virtual, you’ll save on travel and hotel costs. In fact, the value of virtual volunteering can’t be overstated. It’s an investment in your company that will set the stage for future growth and connection.

Here are 3 reasons remote volunteering is more than worth the price.

The Value of Volunteering

Cut Travel Costs

In order to volunteer in person, you sometimes need to travel. But traveling expenses can quickly add up when your employees live far away. Plus, some opportunities are costly solely because they take place over several days. Fortunately, remote volunteering allows all your employees to contribute from home more easily and at a reduced price. 

Decrease Turnover

One of the most expensive costs for a company is related to turnover, which can add up to millions of dollars a year. Fortunately, remote volunteering has been shown to decrease turnover by bringing employees together and giving them a purpose. When a team feels better connected, they’re more likely to stay together and grow with their company. In turn, that company will spend less on hiring new trainees—and money saved is money earned.

Improve Productivity

Happier employees are more productive employees. And one of the easiest ways to improve employee engagement is by volunteering. Volunteers feel better supported and more connected. And when their volunteering takes place remotely, they can reach a larger number of charities and nonprofits. Plus, by utilizing their talents and time toward causes that matter, employees will have more energy and enthusiasm to put back into other work projects.

Final Thoughts on the Value of Volunteering

Doing good makes a team feel good; generosity is its own reward. But there’s another benefit to volunteering, which comes in the form of monetary value. Supporting a charity allows you to meet corporate social responsibility goals while keeping employees motivated and happy. 

If you want support in planning your own virtual volunteer event, reach out to Generus today!