PR News

The New Wave Of Corporate Volunteerism

by Jennifer

With corporate volunteer programs becoming hot topics at career fairs, large companies are having to improve their volunteer programs to ensure that they attract the top recruits. Sarah Antonette chose PNC Financial Services Group over two other firms based on their volunteer packages. PNC’s volunteer program allows employees to pick an assignment skill-related or a project unrelated to their job. She didn’t want to work somewhere that just wrote a check – PNC partners with more than 200 organizations across the country to ensure their employees can spend their time where they feel it’s most valuable.

The New Volunteer Programs
Companies are starting to offer new volunteer programs for young professionals – and these aren’t your standard “take a day and volunteer” programs where you clean parks or build houses. Some firms are offering employees the chance to go to another country for a few months to donate their skills to a nonprofit or struggling business. The employers cover all expenses and employees know that they will still have a job waiting for them when they return.

Why bother?
Employees come back with a broader perspective on business, and then bring their new knowledge back to their employers. And employers know that these programs are necessary to attract the “millennials” – workers born after 1980 – who will replace the retiring baby boomers. Millenials don’t want to park their values at the door, and employers who want to continue growing their workforce will have to change their volunteer policies to attract these recent college grads. Donating money or offering a day per year to volunteer doesn’t seem like it’s going cut it anymore.

Permalink |  Save on del.ico.us

Commenting is closed for this article.