How Volunteerism Enhances Workplace Skills

摘要

While traditional volunteer activities, such as helping at a soup kitchen, tend to leverage general competencies, skills-based volunteering involves applying job-related expertise in specialized areas such as marketing and IT. It is a rapidly growing way for businesses to engage in corporate citizenship, and it often enables participants to nurture new skills.But the idea of fostering learning through service is often controversial. Programs can backfire if employees believe the real aim of a volunteer program is for the company to profit through improved employee performance.Employers should clearly articulate why they're supporting skills-based volunteering and make time for volunteers to reflect on their experiences. They should also position volunteering at the heart of leadership development programs while being transparent about the multiple purposes of participating in partnerships with nonprofits.