Some employers allow time off for their staff to engage in employer supported volunteering. For other employers, it may not be possible to release staff during working hours owing to the nature of their work. Alternatively it may be policy for staff to volunteer at weekends or evenings.
Whether you allow paid time off to volunteer or not, it is advisable to have a policy to avoid confusion. From the Business in the Community ECI+ 2000 membership survey, 53% of respondents have a time off policy.
The 2005 Citizenship Survey shows that he most common way that time employees spent on employer-supported volunteering schemes was accounted for was for employees to do it in their own time outside working hours, with 43 per cent saying this was the case.
Almost a quarter (24%) received paid time off to volunteer on the employer scheme, up to a maximum amount of time, while 17 per cent received time off in lieu and 15 per cent accounted for the time through flexitime.
To read the full 2005 survey, go to the Department for Communities and Local Government website at
www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1501031
Agreed allocations of work time for volunteering activities are often matched to equal each employee’s own time commitment. For example, if the employee volunteer is helping children with their reading in school, they may be given a two hour lunch break to do this (one hour of the individual volunteer’s time and one hour of company time).
Allowing paid time off to volunteer is a strong indicator of an employer’s commitment, and is likely to make employees’ decisions to participate easier.
It is also an easy way of setting an employee’s own commitment. Any time off policy must be agreed and sold in throughout the business, so that all employees, including managers understand the concept and how it will work, and hours must be tracked for reporting and evaluation purposes.
Co-op Bank matches employer supported volunteering in their own time with paid leave up to a maximum of 3 days per year.
Abbey National gives up to 35 hours matched time which can be matched in any calendar year (or the equivalent of your contracted hours for a normal working week for part time staff). This can be taken in odd hours, days or exceptionally as a week.
Happy Computers supports and encourages their staff to work fully paid, one day a month for a charity of their choice and there is a timebank of 100 days which can be claimed for projects that bring 'mutual benefit'
Case Studies
Volunteering England
Volunteering England promotes and supports employer supported volunteering by its employees. This support may take many forms, and recognises the right of individual members of staff to privacy in their volunteering outside of work, as well as encouraging groups of employees to undertake projects as teams and facilitating these projects.
Each employee is granted 6 days (or pro-rata) per calendar year to undertake volunteering, either on an individual or group basis. If employees wish to volunteer under this scheme, they need to give prior notice to their line manager. Volunteering England will not support any activity which might bring the individual into a conflict with the interests and policies of the organisation.
The Corporation of London
The Corporation of London wishes to encourage their staff to become more involved in community activities in the seven boroughs neighbouring the City. A range of different projects is available giving assistance with reading in schools, providing business expertise and resources.
It is expected that volunteering will normally take place in non work time, which includes unpaid lunch breaks. However, there is discretion should any time spent volunteering need to take place during yhe working day. Subject to the needs of the business, up to the equivalent of two working days a year can be allowed for participation in volunteering activities including travelling time. For certain types of on-going projects, some initial training may be required whereby a 50/50 principle could be applied to time off for training i.e. 50% of the employee’s own time and 50% of the Corporation’s time.
Zurich Financial Services
Zurich encourages staff to volunteer but recognises that volunteering is a matter of personal choice. Each employee can use the equivalent of one working day per year to volunteer in the community. Fifty per cent of employees contribute time and money to Zurich’s community programmes.
This one ‘volunteering’ day is a guideline to encourage further volunteering. If someone is already involved, this does not change his or her commitment. Part-time staff will be able to participate on a pro-rata basis.
Taking the time for volunteering needs to be agreed with local management and to fit with business priorities and other community involvement activities. The time can be spread over a number of days.
Responsibility for agreeing the quantity of time allowed ultimately rests with the heads of the business units and is at management discretion, however the following is the recommended guideline. The guidelines vary with level of involvement as recognition that some people will sit on community involvement committees and/or be part of specific initiatives. It is not anticipated (and practice proves) that this time will not be required every week and will be managed around business priorities.
