June 3, 2019
As part of National Volunteers Week this week, Darren Ryan explains how Morrison Freight has introduced volunteering days to encourage employees to support local charities and community groups.
Charity is a big part of the culture here at Morrison Freight. As a team, we are always looking for ways to give back to the community, so we regularly take part in fundraising activities, local events such as charity quiz nights and supporting our chosen charity of the year. We have also sponsored the Henley Athletic FC senior team for the past two seasons.
A recent study found that 38% of people in the UK
volunteered at least once a year between 2017 and 2018.
In order to encourage our team members to get more involved in helping the
community outside of the office, last year, Lee and I decided to introduce ‘volunteering
days’ to our employee contracts. All our employees are now given two days off a
year, fully paid, to support an initiative of their choice.
Why is it so important?
Volunteers Week takes place every year during the first week in June. It is designed to increase awareness of the importance of volunteering as well as thank volunteers for the contributions they make.
According to research, 48% of people say their main motivation is to do good. However, many people like the idea of helping out but admit that they never get around to doing it.
One of the reasons we are so passionate about this is because of the benefits it can bring to employees which can also benefit the business. In terms of skills, working with a charity or a community group can boost your interpersonal and team building skills which can improve the dynamic and productivity in the office.
It is also a great way to build character and pushes employees to work outside of their comfort zone – doing something they may have never done before and working with different groups of people. Again, this can improve the way they operate in a work-place environment when liaising with customers and suppliers.
From a business point of view, we like to be regarded as an employer that is constantly thinking of new ways to help staff grow and progress in their career. From staff training to volunteering opportunities, we ensure that Morrison Freight remains a positive company to work for and this is reflected in our high levels of staff retention.
For more information about Volunteers Week and how to get involved, visit the Volunteers Week website.
Related Articles
