Corporate responsibility programs that embrace employee volunteerism are seeing measurable benefits in employee engagement, retention, and productivity. Companies with strong volunteer programs report higher participation rates, increased team cohesion, and greater employee satisfaction.

Here’s a breakdown of five popular volunteer formats and how they’re driving impact:

1. Local Partnerships

Ongoing relationships with community organizations foster a sense of continuity and purpose. Whether mentoring students weekly or organizing quarterly food bank events, these partnerships build team spirit and community connection.

In 2024, companies with fewer than 1,000 employees had the highest average volunteer engagement rate at 63.8%, showing that smaller organizations can lead the way through sustained local involvement. In fact, the growing movement of place-based philanthropy is based on the knowledge that geographic context and long-term community partnerships can be key to successful social impact programs.

2. Remote Volunteer Opportunities

Virtual volunteering allows employees to contribute their professional skills to nonprofits worldwide, enabling greater reach and flexibility for community engagement. This format is especially effective with opportunities such as mentoring, consulting, and digital support.

Berkshire Bank, for instance, has worked hard to mitigate a common challenge that inhibits volunteer engagement—busy schedules. Through a mix of virtual, in-person, and micro-volunteering, Berkshire makes opportunities accessible anytime and anywhere, leading to consistently high engagement across the organization.

3. Day of Service

Company-wide service days are a powerful way to unite employees around a shared purpose and make a measurable impact. Crowe LLP’s annual Crowe Cares Day is a standout example: the firm shut down operations across 40 offices, empowering more than 5,000 professionals—75% of its workforce—to volunteer in their local communities.

In just one day, Crowe employees contributed over 20,500 volunteer hours to 110 organizations, supported by streamlined coordination through YourCause CSRconnect. This approach demonstrates how a well-organized service day, backed by intuitive technology, can drive engagement, foster team spirit, and deliver lasting community impact.

4. International ‘Experteering’ Trips

Sending employees abroad to apply their skills in underserved regions fosters leadership and global awareness. It can bridge critical gaps in expertise for locally led organizations, catalyzing growth and innovation where resources are scarce. Participants also often return with enhanced teamwork and problem-solving abilities.

Success hinges on rigorous planning, cultural sensitivity, and long-term commitment. By focusing on mutual learning, capacity building, and sustainable partnerships, ‘experteering’ can empower communities while delivering meaningful professional development for volunteers.

5. Annual Service Hours

Offering paid volunteer time off (VTO) empowers employees to support the causes they care about. Companies often match hours with donations through programs like dollars-for-doers, or recognize top contributors.

Over 8 million volunteer hours are logged through the YourCause employee volunteering platform in a year, with the average annual volunteer hours per participant at 12 hours. Hands-on engagement remains a priority for employees and companies alike.