Thousands of employees from across the UK – and throughout the world – are donating time to the communities in which they live or work today by taking part in the world’s only national day for employee volunteering – Give & Gain Day 2012.
Now in its fifth year, Give & Gain Day is run by Business in the Community, a charity that promotes responsible business.
As a national sponsor, Lloyds Banking Group and its staff have played a key role in the event since 2010. As part of a growing movement of more than 100,000 volunteers, this year 4,400 of our employees are taking part, with the aim of making a tangible difference on issues that matter to their communities.
The goal of the initiative is to make it as easy as possible for staff to volunteer by offering them relevant opportunities within their local area.
Crucially, by engaging such large numbers of people and concentrating all volunteering activity into just one day, the messages are crystallised and the importance of volunteering to companies, employees and communities are underlined.
Businesses and staff of all backgrounds can take part. We use the day to encourage our people to see the value of volunteering in general and, in particular, to highlight the benefits of volunteering to those staff who have not yet taken part.
Annual catalyst
It enables us to underscore our volunteering credentials and build long-term relationships within our communities as many of our employees continue to support their chosen initiative well beyond just the day itself.
This is because, while on the surface, it may appear to be just a one-day activity, used properly it can provide an annual catalyst to kick-start ongoing and sustainable community partnerships.
But it’s not just the communities that benefit. There is also a serious payback for companies and employees too. Research shows that 98% of those taking part wish to volunteer again. The team-building benefits of volunteering are likewise well-known.
But what we have found really exciting is the opportunity to work alongside other businesses. We encourage our staff to collaborate with volunteers from other businesses, including clients, and proactively encourage volunteers to share best practice with participants from other organisations.
In fact, this year, several projects will see us working alongside colleagues from international law firm, Eversheds LLP, Give & Gain Day’s other national sponsor.
Eversheds likewise has a long history of employee volunteering and was the first organisation to expand the initiative to several of its overseas office, before launching it internationally in 2011.
New skills
Following its example, we also got staff in New York and Boston involved and, this year, Give & Gain activity is taking place in 26 countries. We are delighted to be taking part in a fifth of them.
Over the years, our volunteers have been involved in a diverse range of projects from regeneration initiatives and sporting events to providing careers advice to the unemployed.
The variety of volunteering activities undertaken provides our employees with a great chance to develop a range of new skills. It also offers engaging team-building opportunities and enables people to learn more about the communities in which they operate.
As an employer, it likewise provides us with a tangible opportunity to invest further in our workforce and help people develop at both a personal and professional level at the same time as they ‘give back’.
Encouragingly, almost all participants said that they developed new skills as a result of taking part, while more than half pointed out that they could transfer this new expertise to the workplace. They also confirmed a positive impact on their confidence and leadership skills – a clear benefit to any business.
As a result, I’m proud to report that employee volunteering has become an integral part of our community investment strategy, which is at the heart of everything we do. But Give & Gain Day is a particularly special focal point because it allows us to celebrate the great benefits that employee volunteering can bring.
Richard Buxton is talent director at Lloyds Banking Group.
