If you want to be happier and more successful, volunteering may be just what you need to do. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to volunteer. In addition to the obvious benefits to your community, there are also personal benefits.
Volunteering is on the rise today—probably because of its many advantages. From a good job and better pay to your engagement, happiness and even your perceptions of time, volunteering has a lot to offer.
Reasons to Volunteer
We usually think of volunteering as a great way to help others, but we’re also wired to feel positively when we connect and make a positive impact on our communities. And beyond the intangible feel-good rewards, there are other more tangible rewards as well.
1. Make More Money
You’ll make more money if you volunteer, according to a study published in Social Science Research. Those who spent time volunteering saw a bump in their salary.
It’s likely that you make more money because volunteering helps you build your capabilities. From technical skills to interaction and soft skills, volunteering provides opportunities to complete tasks, take responsibility and and work on teams. Research published in Human Resource Management Review demonstrates the boost you get from both developing your skills and making a contribution using your skills.
All of this helps you learn and grow–and add value for your employer–making them potentially more likely to give you a raise.
2. Get a Job
Another study, published by the Center for Economic and Policy Reserach found those who volunteer are more likely to be employed and have higher wages.
Volunteering is likely correlated with getting a job because of the opportunities to build your network. You’ll meet people throughout the community, and they’ll get to know you in the best light—when you’re demonstrating your commitment and capabilities. All of this makes them great resources to share information about what jobs are available and provide a reference when you need it.
When you volunteer, employers will also view you positively because of your motivation, reliability and desire to engage and contribute.
3. Have More Time
Surprisingly, when you do things that help others and contribute your talents, you tend to perceive that you have more time, according to a study in Psychological Science. The study compared the opportunities to waste time, spend time on oneself or give a gift of time to others. It turned out that giving time selflessly actually changed people’s perception of time. They felt they had more time and felt less time pressure.
In a period of intense time poverty—when people report they feel like they can’t get everything done and when they feel under pressure—volunteering can provide a unique oasis when you feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
4. Be Engaged
Interesting data also shows that plenty of employers are sponsoring volunteer activities—which can be a great way to get engaged and get to know your coworkers.
Across 18 countries, there has been a 57% increase in employee volunteering. There has also been a 15% increase in companies running volunteering programs as a vehicle for employee engagement, according to Benevity.
Flexibility is important—and people are 12 times as likely to participate when the company promotes both employee-sponsored volunteer opportunities as well as those that are company-sponsored, according to DDI data.
In addition, 60% of companies offer rewards for volunteering—in the form of dollars that employees can donate to charities of their choice based on their volunteer hours. This strategy in turn drives greater employee engagement, based on the Benevity data.
Another reason to volunteer is that you’ll feel a sense of purpose and engagement with your involvement and have the opportunity to engage with colleagues on things that matter.
Data from Ares bears this out, when people have the opportunity to volunteer with their company, they are more satisfied with their job (79% who are satisfied versus 55% who don’t have the opportunity to volunteer), with their organization’s culture (75% versus 54%), with the leadership of the organization (71% versus 45%), with opportunities for development (70% versus 39%) and with the opportunity to develop new skills at work (72% versus 47%). In addition, when organizations offer the opportunity for employees to volunteer, employees are twice as likely to recommend their organization to jobseekers: 39% are “promoters” versus just 19% of those who do not volunteer.
5. Be Happy
Overall, when you volunteer, it expands your perspective. Stress is on the rise and depression and anxiety are related. They are characterized by a feeling of closing in—you may feel trapped, alone or limited in your outlook.
But volunteering can give you a sense of expansion as you get to know your community—and a sense of satisfaction as you know you’ve having a positive effect.
Volunteering is On the Rise
Formal volunteering—when you offer support through a formal organization—is up, with 28% of Americans who volunteer. This is an increase of 22% in the last couple years and representing the largest expansion of formal volunteering ever recorded. Those who did formal volunteering provided 4.99 billion hours with an economic value of value of $167.2 billion, according to a survey by AmeriCorps.
Informal volunteering—in which you offer help on your own, and not through a formal organization–is also on the rise. More than 54% of Americans hep on an informal basis and is a 3% increase compared to previous years, based on AmeriCorps data.
Who is Volunteering
Women tend to volunteer at higher rates than men—with 31% compared with 26%). And parents with children under 18 also tend to volunteer at higher rates (37%) than those without children in the household (25%). In addition, Gen Z had the highest rates of volunteering compared with other generations. All of this is based on the AmeriCorps data.
And AmeriCorps finds that the states with the highest levels of formal volunteering are Utah (47% who volunteer), Vermont (41%), Minnesota (40%), Kansas (40%) and South Dakota (38%). The states with the greatest levels of informal volunteering are Utah (68%), Montana (68%), Colorado (67%), Vermont (65%) and Delaware (65%).
Great Reasons to Volunteer
There are plenty of reasons to volunteer—starting with benefits for your community. But it’s also great for you. Volunteering connects you, gives you a sense of fulfillment and makes the community better in so many ways.