Researchers are warning that 140m workplace volunteer hours went unused last year as staff struggle to find the right opportunities.

The extent of unused volunteering time is despite two in three businesses offering volunteering days to staff.

The findings have emerged in analysis carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research commissioned by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).

This found that workplace volunteering is worth £32.5bn to the UK economy through increased productivity among staff. This is the equivalent of £5,239 per employee if all workplace volunteering opportunities were utilised.

Around one in three employers are offering volunteering time off to table burnout and to re-engage staff. One in four say it boosts performance and almost nine in ten believe volunteering is part of their company's mission and environmental, social and governance goals.

“Employee volunteering programmes are fast becoming one of the smartest investments a business can make, said RVS chief executive Catherine Johnstone.

“As our research shows, those who do it well are seeing the greatest results – from improved staff wellbeing and motivation to increased productivity.

“If just some of those 140 million lost volunteering hours were used it could be transformational in its effect.”
 
The RVS is to launch a digital volunteering platform, which is being funded with support from £5m from the People’s Postcode Lottery and aims to promote thousands of volunteering opportunities.

“Volunteer recruitment and retention is becoming increasingly difficult for many charities,” added Johnstone.

“There’s a keen desire to volunteer, we just need to remove barriers and widen access with opportunities to fit into modern life. Flexibility is at the heart of our new platform design and there will be roles to suit all commitments and interest areas.

"Crucial to success is having a diverse range and high volume of roles available for the public. We’re now inviting all charities and non-profits to register their interest and start uploading their roles in the summer, ready for public launch later this year."

Legal and fashion sectors lead the way

The legal and fashion sectors are leading the way in corporate volunteering opportunities, according to separate research carried out by volunteer software provider Access Assemble.

Based on data from company websites the provider found that more than three in four legal and fashion firms are offering staff paid time to volunteer.

“More companies are seeing the value of giving employees time out of work to volunteer – but managing them isn’t easy for under-resourced charities,” said Access Assemble senior product manager Shaf Mansour.

“Those who do it successfully work with their corporate partners to ensure employees’ time and skills are used in the best way possible.

“They have clearly defined roles, good onboarding processes, including relevant checks and safety training – and they proactively show the organisation what a difference their employers have made.”

Online searches increase

Last month Access Assemble research found that online searches for volunteer roles had increased by 13% over the last year. Oxford, Swindon and Hull are the areas to see the biggest increase.

Croydon had the highest number of searches per resident. Interest in volunteering is also strong in Norwich and Ilford.

Mansour said that Access' findings indicate "a strong appetite for volunteering" but warned "that doesn’t always translate into sign-ups".

“Busy lifestyles and changing expectations mean that many people don’t want to fill out lengthy application forms nor wait weeks for them to be approved. They may not be able to commit to shifts at a charity shop or food bank either," he said.

“This is why it’s important to minimise the time it takes to process applications, without compromising compliance, and communicate regularly to keep them engaged.

“Flexibility is also key. Even if someone doesn’t fit a traditional volunteer role, they can still make an impact – for example, by ‘micro-volunteering’ a few hours at an event or completing tasks remotely."

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