The subtle art of giving a f*ck - Volunteering as a motivator

Most people I know WANT to do good. It sounds like such a fluffy statement, I know, but it’s true as far as I can tell. Because corporates are made up of those same people, I also believe (sometimes naively) that corporates also WANT to do good. I am not talking about the strategic goals of an organization, I am talking about the Corporate Social Investments that companies across the globe are spending. It’s billions! Which is, of course, a great and wonderful thing. 

What corporates are, however, sometimes missing is the simple art of volunteering by its own employees. Or at least providing employees with the opportunity to volunteer in work time as part of the talent management strategy. 

What would something like that mean for a corporate? 

An intentional and deliberate offering to its employees by providing time to work in organizations that need their skills and expertise, other then the organisation they are working in. 

Here are 5 potential benefits: 

1. Great reputation and brand awareness for the corporate, if managed correctly. 
2. More engaged employees that are looking towards their primary provider in making real changes to the world “out there”. 
3. Community engagement by means of volunteering and tapping into potential new clients that might never have crossed the target market before. 
4. Upskilling potential talent and providing them with “real life” experience other than what is offered by the organisation. 
5. Problem-solving skills are a muscle that needs to be flexed and practised. Volunteering provides great opportunities to build that muscle and applied back at work. Problem-solving has been mentioned as the number one skill employers are looking for in recruits. A volunteering program offers this opportunity, especially if a “debrief” is held with employees with one another. 

By all means, do give a f*ck, and allow volunteering to become a motivator for your staff.