Released On 20th Apr 2021

Why volunteering can help you grow your business

It can be difficult to imagine having the time to add another role into an already busy day/week/month, but today, Volunteer Recognition Day, I urge you all to consider the wider benefits of becoming a volunteer.

I have long been an advocate for volunteering, but I sometimes, like many, need to remind myself why I am happy to give up precious time to do something that I don't get paid for:

I get to meet new people, often people I wouldn't meet in my day to day life - this helps me expand my network and values to make me a better person and therefore a better business, I understand more about the wider world than I would otherwise.

I learn new skills - volunteers are normally really happy to share their skills and to exchange services, meaning that I benefit on both fronts and can pass on my skills for the greater good too.

I am making a difference to someone - yes, it is the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you help someone else, I love it.

You have a story to tell - ever been in a meeting and the air goes silent? That doesn't happen for me, I have a story, a journey and (see point 1) a deeper understanding of other people's views and fears which means I can tease information out of them and do my job better.

I am helping to build a better business community - by getting involved and telling my story so others get involved, I am part of something that is helping to build a network of better businesses. Therefore logic would state that if the whole business community gets better it becomes a better place for my business and my business, and customers, benefit too.

Now I am aware that all this sounds greedy and self-serving, but that is because it is very difficult to demonstrate the feeling all this volunteering gives you. I am a happier and more stable person, my mental health is better, simply by volunteering and giving some of myself away for free.

Feeling better means I do better, it is as simple as that. So find something you love, a cause, a group, hand out drinks at a marathon or collect prescriptions for the elderly, whatever you do I guarantee you will feel better and your business will benefit from that too!

There are lots of opportunities to be found here https://volunteersweek.org/ or contact your local council who will have a list too!