Volunteering: The Most Effective Workplace Wellness Strategy

Main Takeaways  

• Volunteering is the only workplace wellness intervention shown to consistently improve employee well-being and engagement.
• Employees who volunteer report higher job satisfaction and are twice as likely to recommend their organization, making volunteering a powerful retention tool.
• Successful programs go beyond generic opportunities—employees want purpose, flexibility, and impact.
• Best practices include offering curated opportunities, fostering a culture of purpose, combining giving with volunteering, recognizing participation, and simplifying sign-up through digital tools.

5 Best Practices for Encouraging Volunteering in Your Workplace

When you hear the word “volunteering,” what comes to mind?

For most, it’s helping others or giving back to the community. But for social impact leaders, volunteering represents something far more powerful: a proven way to boost employee engagement and well-being. In fact, volunteering is the only wellness intervention that consistently delivers results. A recent Oxford study revealed that out of 90 workplace wellness interventions, only volunteering improved employee well-being, making it the most effective wellness strategy available. It doesn’t just make a difference in communities; it transforms workplace culture, strengthens connections, and gives employees a sense of purpose that no other program can match. 79% of employees who volunteer report being highly satisfied with their jobs, compared to just 55% of non-volunteers. In addition, workplace volunteers are twice as likely to recommend their organization to job seekers.

But here’s the challenge: How do you build volunteering programs employees are excited to join?

With today’s workforce looking for purpose, connection, and impact, here are our top 5 tips for designing a volunteering program that delivers.

Five Best Practices for Building a Meaningful Volunteer Program

1. Offer Flexible Opportunities

Research shows that employee-initiated opportunities boost engagement by 2.7x. Remove barriers to entry by offering a variety of flexible opportunities that allow employees to engage with what matters most to them.

2. Create a Culture of Purpose

Pair volunteering with initiatives like Employee Resource Groups to foster inclusion, strengthen bonds, and build belonging. 84% of employees report higher job satisfaction when their leaders speak up about societal issues, and 66% feel more committed to their employer after participating in CSR programs.

3. Combine Giving with Volunteering

Companies offering both giving and volunteering programs see significantly higher engagement than those offering only one. This reinforces the value of integrated CSR strategies that allow employees to engage in a way that fits their time and lifestyle.

4. Recognize and Reward Participation

Paid time off, participation bonuses, or public recognition can go a long way in boosting participation with your programs. In fact, companies leveraging incentives like volunteer grants and paid time off for volunteering report up to 50% higher volunteer hours per employee.

5. Make Participation Simple

Complex, time-consuming processes kill momentum. The good news? Platforms like YourCause CSRconnect make it easy for employees to browse, join, and track opportunities – all in one place. For many businesses, they see an average of 13 volunteer hours per employee annually, but companies that utilize streamlined, digital tools often notable increases in both engagement and impact