I read a piece recently suggesting that creating opportunities for staff to volunteer for charity work helps raise engagement, motivation snd job satisfaction – all factors that can have a positive impact on productivity.
I don’t doubt this – though, of course, the increase in productivity has to be sufficient to balance any productivity lost to time off volunteering – and has too be sustainable over time. It is this secind factor that intrigues me the most.
Far too many wellness and performance programmes have an immediate impact but run out of steam. Employees fall into a routine that might make them feel a little better about Ithemselves but has little direct impact on their performance and productivity.
Perhaps if the nature of the organisations being supported or the nature of the support work changes regularly, a fresh impetus can be introduced. I would love to see some research results that look at this situation over a significant time period- especially if the research does indeed show longer-term benefit.