Philanthropy, Purpose and Professional Development: Why Workplace Volunteer Programs Matter

In 2022, we began a nine-month global research study to examine the transformational effects of workplace volunteer programs on individuals’ professional development and skills. Moreover, we sought to understand who participates and why, the skills they acquire and why they matter, and if and how volunteerism truly boosts employee engagement. Moreover, we sought to leverage the findings to evolve and expand AIM, and hopefully help industry peers, philanthropy colleagues and other organizations strategically strengthen their volunteer offerings.

We collaborated with Edge Research, a woman-owned marketing research company, to examine the value of workplace volunteer programs through a study that engaged a representative sample of more than 5,100 general population employees in five countries where Ares maintains operations: India, Singapore, the UAE, the U.K. and the U.S.

The resulting white paper — Philanthropy, Purpose and Professional Development: Why Workplace Volunteer Programs Matter — incorporates quantitative and qualitative data on the connections among workplace volunteer programs, employees’ development of specific “soft” or social and emotional skills, the professional and personal effects of these programs on workers, and the benefits that organizations and the communities where they do business reap as a result of this kind of engagement.

Findings revealed that the act of volunteering improves employees’ sense of purpose, well-being, and physical and mental health. In addition, the data showed that workplace volunteer programs offer pathways to develop the skills that employees and employers desire.