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It’s time to take advantage of the lifted restrictions and get involved in some rewarding corporate group volunteer opportunities.

Volunteering can help teams come together, build trust, and bring more creativity and motivation back into the workplace as we start to regain some of our pre-pandemic routines.

Getting involved in corporate group volunteer opportunities may be just what your team needs to get back into the flow of things and get those creative juices flowing. Luckily, there are tons of options available year-round.

How can an activity – even just a couple hours per month (or less) – foster stronger team bonding and connections?

Group volunteer activities with your coworkers in a new setting, especially where you are working towards a common goal, has been shown to be extremely beneficial. Providing team building opportunities outside of the workplace opens the avenue for better communication, understanding, and increased motivation. You also get to have some fun while you’re at it!

The COVID-19 pandemic forced us into working from home, which led to most team meetings and communication taking place through a screen. This means that the relationship-building that resulted from daily face-to-face interactions was put on hold.  With restrictions still not fully lifted throughout Toronto, most of us are working in a hybrid style: a mixture of in-person and online. Refreshing our bonds through corporate group volunteer opportunities is a simple and rewarding way for employees re-connect, have fun, learn new skills, and give back to the community.

Step 3 of Toronto’s COVID-19 reopening guide allows for outdoor (up to 100 people) and indoor (up to 25 people) social gatherings to occur. This means that volunteer team activities can once again commence. You can imagine how much work there is to be done, since many organizations – food banks, shelters, environmental groups etc. – were forced to put their volunteering programs on hold. Your help is needed more than ever, which leads to the next very important point.

Feeling too busy to volunteer?

Sure, the workday can get rough sometimes. The thought of finding time to squeeze in another commitment may feel like too overwhelming to even consider. But it’s worth it – trust us. Having a dedicated day (or half day) once a quarter or even once a year allows your team to unwind from the hassle of day-to-day operations and gives them something positive to look forward to.

Before you throw the idea out the window, know that volunteering has shown to benefit not only individual health and happiness, but also productivity and motivation.

Doing good, feels good.

How Corporate Group Volunteer Opportunities Strengthen Your Team

You may think you know your team members pretty well – their children’s names, how they take their coffee, what they did over the weekend, how quickly they can complete a task. But is this enough to foster strong teams and workplace satisfaction? Seeing your co-workers suited up in hair nets, or crouched down in the mud planting trees, is an interesting experience to say the least. Situations like these take everybody out of their comfort zones and force them to rely on each other for support and guidance. Volunteering together breaks down walls, builds trust, and in turn, allows colleagues to show more of their personalities. A new experience such as team volunteering can give your team a fresh perspective on the people they typically see in a strictly professional setting.

Corporate group volunteering has been shown to improve workplace culture and loyalty. In turn, productivity, connection between employees and newfound connection to the community – all foster the development of new skills and improved well-being. What’s not to love?

Building trust improves interpersonal relationships between employees which transfers to working more efficiently together. Regardless of the volunteer activity you choose, we guarantee you’ll come out of it with many laughs and stories that co-workers will enjoy talking about down the line.

Benefits of Team Volunteering Activities for the Body and Mind

Volunteering is not only great for improving trust and building relationships between employees. On a personal level, volunteering provides countless mental and physical health benefits. Socializing with your team while helping and interacting with others (whether it’s the soup kitchen staff, the animals at the shelter, or other volunteers) brings new, meaningful connections into your life.

Volunteering can relieve feelings of anxiety, stress, and anger. You may find yourself volunteering with your team, but returning more often by yourself or recruiting other friends to join in. Research shows that helping others releases ‘happy’ hormones in our brains. Doing good, feels good – and the more you do it, the more satisfied you may feel.

I Want my Team to Volunteer Together – Where Do I Start?

The first step is to find out whether your company has already integrated volunteering into its corporate policy. This kind of policy encourages employees to take a specified number of hours or days of paid time to participate in a volunteer program. Some companies even have pre-set volunteer days and a list of pre-approved organizations you can choose from.

If you’re organizing a volunteer day for your team, it might be a little tricky to get everyone to agree on the same activity. In any workplace, there are many different personality types and skill sets. It may be worthwhile to take a poll and ask what causes and activities people would prefer to be involved in, so that you can make a commitment that matches your coworker’s and organization’s needs. Some other things to consider include whether your team would want to work with adults, children, animals, or outdoors. With a larger team, it may be tricky to match everyone’s goals and interests so. Consider looking into various volunteer opportunities and providing options.

You can find volunteer opportunities in many places such as libraries, senior or community centers, animal rescue shelters, youth groups, soup kitchens, and environmental organizations – just to name a few. Even those groups most active in the summer – such as environmental groups – likely still have fund raisers and other activities in the winter months.

Conclusion

Taking a quick scan online will reveal many volunteer opportunities just waiting for you and your team right here in Toronto. There are countless ways to get involved and make a difference now. The benefits will be evident not only in the community you are helping, but also in team spirit and overall satisfaction your team will feel after volunteering together.