And sometimes people avoid my calls when they know I have big events coming up because I can be pretty persuasive and some people don’t like being event marshals at 5am on Sunday mornings. Go figure.  

But volunteering doesn’t have to be such a burden. In fact, given the right opportunity, volunteering provides some surprising and worthwhile benefits to the volunteer and to your organisation.

Still sceptical? Read on.

Here are just 3 ways that your business can benefit from volunteering opportunities:

1.       Networking:

Volunteering opens up opportunities to engage with people you might otherwise never gain access to. Particularly if the opportunity is for skilled volunteers, such as sitting on a steering committee, you may engage key stakeholders that are valuable to your business.

2.       Build up different skill sets:

Your staff can develop some really valuable skills by volunteering that can provide very tangible benefits to your organisation. Charities will provide volunteers with practical training in all kinds of fields. And it’s free – always a plus!

3.       Team building and bonding:

We all know that teams that bond together, make more money together. But let’s face it; most of the time, organisations are too busy to organise team days or create opportunities for staff to engage outside of work. Volunteering is the new black in team building. It’s fun and fulfilling and it works.

One caveat though; do your research and find the right opportunities for your team. Start by thinking about what you want to get out of it – then find ways to give back by finding opportunities that are meaningful, both to the charity and your business.

For information on finding the right opportunity, contact Nermeen Yacoub on (02) 8865 2838.