This article looks at employer volunteer programs — an important topic to many young graduates and new hires. Community service has become a popular benefit offered by progressive technology companies, and it’s just as important to individuals starting their tech careers.

Job seekers find strong community service programs attractive for several reasons:

• Pride in being part of caring company
• Aligns with employee’s values
• Reflects how company treats employees

The more you know about a company’s community services programs, the better you can decide if it’s the right fit for your career.

Why do employers support employee volunteerism?

While down in general, volunteerism has been on the rise in the corporate world. Paid time off for volunteering is one of the few employee benefits that has actually increased significantly over the last few years.

Employee volunteer programs are a form of corporate social responsibility initiative, where companies encourage employee involvement in community service projects. A company offers these programs so employees can commit company time to volunteering without penalties.

Many studies have shown that volunteer programs boost productivity, increase employee engagement, and improve hiring and retention. Research also shows that volunteers tend to be better corporate citizens by helping others and voicing ideas. All powerful reasons to support community service initiatives.

Many different types of employee volunteer programs

There are endless variations in employee volunteer programs, from individual mentoring to all-day group clean-ups. Here are some other examples:

• After 20 hours of service, one company offers staffers a $300 bonus
• Dollar-for-dollar matching of employee charitable donations
• After hiring, the company makes donations to employee's cause of choice
• Company-organized individual and group opportunities
• 100% company-paid volunteer days each year to serve local communities

Companies sometimes tailor programs according to their corporate mission, size, customers and investor expectations. At one global home improvement retailer, for example, the volunteer program focuses on housing projects and disaster relief. Volunteers also support initiatives like building and repairing homes for veterans.

Promoting employee contributions both internally and externally nurtures company culture and feeds corporate social responsibility initiatives. Local communities are often the immediate beneficiaries of these programs. It’s all good.

Recent hire continues personal tradition of community service

How important is the opportunity for community service at your future employer? Sudarsana Ganguly, a management trainee at HCLTech, has an active background in charity services and contributions and felt strongly about continuing as she grew her career.

“My motto in life has always been to rise by lifting others. I have grown up around family traditions such as donating to charities or orphanages on any happy occasions or helping at an old age home on birthdays,” she explained.

“This journey went further when I joined the Social Service Wing of my college. I had the opportunity to teach 400+ underprivileged children in various villages on the outskirts of Kolkata. I organized numerous events revolving around them — for which I was eventually made the President of the Social Service Wing.”

HCLTech onboarding leads to varied service opportunities

During the onboarding process at HCLTech, Sudarsana was introduced to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department and the HCLFoundation. “I was connected to the HCLFoundation by my Team Manager, Vineet Tandon, who had the vision for conducting social services by our team,” she said. “The work done here for society is varied and elaborate, which correlates to my enthusiasm in collaborating with the team to spread joy and happiness.”

The HCLFoundation provided a lot of options, and the group finalized on an old age home to start their volunteer work. The home had around 100 beneficiaries, and the staff worked tirelessly to create a comfortable environment and keep residents engaged and mentally active.

Bringing value to the community and volunteers

The HCLTech team spent several hours at home, chatting, singing old Hindi songs, serving lunch and painting clay diyas (to be sold during Diwali).

“Leaving the old age home, I couldn’t help but reflect on the value of cherishing our elders and ensuring they live their twilight years with dignity and love. The visit served as a powerful reminder of how privileged we are in life, to be compassionate towards others, and to find ways to give back to those who may not have had the same privileges,” she explained.

“HCLTech as an employer fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment among employees. It was a truly heartwarming and humbling experience, and I look forward to more such activities in the near future,” Sudarsana declared.

How to spot strong employer commitment to volunteerism

You can quickly tell if an organization is deeply committed to the community. Strong employee volunteer programs reflect a strong corporate mission with a drive for positive impact.

Have a look at what we’re about at HCLTech. Our culture reflects our values, and we have a lot to offer when it comes to employee volunteerism. Let’s connect if that’s important to you because it’s very important to us.