They say that charity starts at home, but we like to think that it can happen at work, too. In honor of National Volunteer Week, which runs April 10–16, we’ve rounded up five small, simple ways that your office can make a positive impact. Most of these suggestions cost your company little to no money, but they can boost employee morale, which often boosts the bottom line, as well.
1. Procrastinate for a cause. Feel better about all of the time you waste online by surfing sites that reward your procrastination. FreeRice.com will donate 10 grains of rice to the World Food Program for every vocabulary question you answer correctly. And BrowseForACause.com helps you donate to charity just for shopping online.
2. Hold a clothing/book/canned-food drive. Many stores and businesses sponsor drives around the holidays, but food pantries, libraries, and soup kitchens have an ongoing need for donations, especially with so many people out of work. Running an office donation drive is easy. First, choose a charity and make sure your boss (and your boss’ boss) is on board. Then set out empty boxes for donations and spread the word around the office. People love a friendly little competition, so you could also use a separate box for each department to encourage philanthropy.
3. Start recycling. Many businesses already recycle paper, plastic, and aluminum cans, but what about office equipment or furniture? Upgrading the computer system or revamping the conference room is an opportunity to go green and help a nonprofit by making an in-kind donation. Many local charities use Freecycle.org to find furniture and office supplies that would otherwise get tossed. For information on donating used computer equipment, check out TechSoup.org.
4. Run a charity race. My office participated in a 5K Corporate Challenge to benefit a local children’s charity several years ago, and it was a fun way for us to bond while giving back to a worthy cause. If your boss is hesitant about it, then remind her that it’s a team-building opportunity and an incentive for employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Plus, all of your company’s runners will be wearing the company logo on their T-shirts, so it’s also a way to spread visibility in the community.
5. Do a pro bono project. For interns or entry-level employees who are dying to sink their teeth into meatier work, pairing up with a nonprofit offers an opportunity to do so. Bonus: You’ll get an opportunity to show your superiors what you can do. The nonprofit gets a snazzy new website or perhaps a few hours of number crunching, and your company gets bragging rights about their nonprofit partnership.
