While work arrangements and office dynamics continue to shift, leading organizations prioritize employee engagement, workplace inclusion and community support. Virtual volunteering can transcend workplace differences, fostering social impact in remote, hybrid and in-person settings.
Through online tools and platforms, you can harness employees’ collective power to make a difference in your organization and community.
What is virtual volunteering?
Virtual volunteering allows employees to contribute to social and charitable causes anytime, anywhere.
Online volunteering can complement in-person volunteer programs or be a stand-alone initiative. Whether you have employees across multiple states, countries or time zones, virtual opportunities enable them to work together toward shared goals. These efforts can accommodate varying schedules and preferences.
The advantages of virtual volunteering
Virtual volunteering offers many of the same benefits as traditional in-person programs. But it adds flexibility and accessibility for employees of all ages and abilities. The volunteer service organization Points of Light says online volunteering is inclusive and empowering. It removes barriers related to time, transportation, mobility and location.
The volunteer management firm Benevity and the industry news source Employee Benefit News (EBN) highlight employer advantages of virtual volunteer programs, including:
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Enhanced workplace culture. Engaging employees in charitable efforts builds camaraderie and a sense of purpose.
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Talent acquisition. Job candidates prioritize organizations that are committed to social responsibility and community impact.
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Employee engagement and retention. Volunteer programs enhance employee satisfaction, productivity, mental health and organizational commitment.
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Leadership development. Volunteering can build skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and project management.
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Organizational reputation. Volunteering efforts strengthen your standing by doing good for employees and the community.
While virtual volunteering can sometimes lack the same sense of collaboration and camaraderie as in-person volunteering, there are ways to overcome this challenge. Encouraging employees to combine virtual efforts and share success stories can build connections. EBN recommends communicating volunteer hours and community impact through various channels, including staff meetings, social media posts, hiring channels and annual reports.
Examples of virtual volunteering
Virtual volunteering offers diverse opportunities. They can be tailored to your employees’ interests and abilities. Examples include:
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Recording audio stories for children in hospitals
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Writing letters to isolated seniors
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Making toys for shelter animals
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Tutoring students online
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Mentoring young professionals or unemployed individuals through interview preparations and career advice
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Providing language translation services for nonprofit and community groups
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Fundraising for community causes through virtual platforms
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Brainstorming ideas with nonprofits to solve problems or identify opportunities
Points of Light also highlights virtual microvolunteering for employees with limited availability. These efforts focus on short-term tasks, such as transcribing documents, captioning videos or entering data for nonprofits.
Innovative volunteer programs can blend virtual and in-person efforts. For example, Benevity promotes virtual cleanups where employees pick up trash in local neighborhoods. They log data such as hours worked or waste collected into an online system. This approach can allow you to aggregate results, encourage collaboration and gamify the experience through friendly competition.
Best practices for building a virtual volunteer program
If you’re considering launching or enhancing a virtual volunteer program, these steps can help you create a successful framework.
Survey your employees. It’s critical to identify the causes your workforce supports. Aligning volunteer opportunities with employees’ interests will improve participation and engagement. It also demonstrates that you’re listening to their voices and values.
Provide the necessary tools and technologies. Virtual volunteering requires stable, reliable internet connections and user-friendly platforms. Benevity recommends volunteer programs that make it easy for employees to find opportunities, participate in them and track their contributions.
Set clear policies and guidelines. As with in-person options, virtual volunteering should be voluntary. Decide if employees will be allowed to volunteer during the workday. Set guidance on eligibility and participation. Communication is essential. Promote opportunities through emails, newsletters and team meetings. Provide a range of options, explain how to volunteer online, and help employees connect to efforts that resonate with their interests and availability.
Offer synchronous and asynchronous options. Synchronous volunteering lets employees work together in real time. This option can build collaboration and connection. Asynchronous opportunities can expand participation by allowing employees to join projects as their schedules allow.
Incorporate individual and group opportunities. Provide a range of options to meet employees’ different personalities and preferences. Individual volunteering might appeal to employees with unpredictable schedules or introverted tendencies. Group projects can build camaraderie for employees seeking workplace connections. Combining efforts can increase participation and amplify results.
Leverage skills-based virtual volunteering. EBN highlights the power of connecting employees’ professional skills to volunteering efforts. For example, employees could use their financial, marketing, legal, coding, graphic design, writing or other expertise to support nonprofits needing those skills. A Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship survey found companies are increasingly offering skills-based virtual volunteering programs.
Communicate and celebrate success. Highlight volunteer stories and metrics through internal and external channels, including social media posts and annual reports. Workplace champions and employee testimonials can promote your program’s impact and inspire others to join.
Explore your options
For more information on virtual volunteering, talk to your benefits adviser. They can connect you to online platforms, identify virtual volunteering partners and customize programs to fit your workforce needs.
