Make a date to make a difference

The survey⁽¹⁾ of companies that cumulatively employ 200,000 people also reveals that employee volunteering helps with recruitment, retention, staff morale and absenteeism.

Key findings include:

• 83% of employees say that they would prefer to work for a company with an employee volunteering project than one that doesn't

• 88% of employees feel that employee volunteering has improved staff morale

• 18% say that they feel healthier and had fewer sick days since volunteering through work

• Nearly a quarter (22%) say they are less likely to leave a job where there is an employee volunteering scheme

Findings reveal that men and women have different perceptions of employee volunteering. Ninety-one per cent of men say they would rather work for a company with an employee volunteering programme, compared to 73% of women. However employee volunteering has a bigger impact on the productivity of women. Only 43% of men say employee volunteering makes them feel more productive, compared to 60% of women.

An analysis of different age groups reveals that 16-24 year olds get the most out of employee volunteering. All of them (100%) feel that employee volunteering has improved staff morale. A third (33%) say that they are less likely to leave a job where there is an employee volunteering scheme, compared to 17% of 35-44 year olds and 16% of 45-54 year olds.

"The results of this survey are very encouraging," said Anna Gilmour, CSV Make a Difference Day Campaign Co-ordinator. "Research shows that £11.6 billion is lost every year to absenteeism,⁽²⁾ and one of the common reasons for this is stress. If employee volunteering can produce happier, healthier and more productive staff then the saving to business could be enormous."

The survey also questioned employer's perception of the benefits to volunteering.

• All employers (100%) feel employee volunteering helps with staff morale.

• All employers (100%) feel employee volunteering helps with productivity.

• Over half (54%) of employers feel that employee volunteering helps with absenteeism

• 81% of employers feel that employee volunteering helps with staff retention

"Over 18,000 Barclays staff worldwide volunteered in 2004," said Rachael Barber Head of Community Affairs, Barclays. "Nearly half (49%) of our managers see employee volunteering as 'very effective as a team building exercise'(3). And unlike other team building exercises, like paint balling, there is a triple benefit - for the employer, the employee and the community."

Bryan Cress, Senior Policy Advisor at the CBI, said: "Many companies and the people they employ are quietly contributing to society and the environment. The survey shows that these firms find staff volunteering benefits not only the communities in which they are based, but also their own business."

CSV Make a Difference Day, supported by Barclays, is the largest single day of 'hands-on' volunteering in the UK and takes place on Saturday 29th October 2005 as part of the Year of the Volunteer. It aims to encourage 100,000 people to give time, including 150 companies. Last year's employee volunteering activities included: a group of marketing executives at Barclays providing advice to a local Help the Aged shop on how to improve their merchandising and increase profits; EDS Credit Services and Abbey making over three gardens at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation centre; and volunteers from BAA Gatwick transforming the outside area of a new Sure Start centre.

So far the line up of companies taking part in CSV Make a Difference Day 2005 includes, Barclays, Cadburys, AWG (Anglian Water), Reuters and Unum Provident.

For more information on taking part, visit www.csv.org.uk/difference

ENDS

Further press information: Esther Freeman, CSV Make a Difference Day Press Office on 020 7812 0035/07981 591150 or email: efreeman@csv.org.uk

Latest press releases: www.csv.org.uk/press

Notes for editors

1. Survey was conducted amongst 11 companies, employing in total around 200,000 staff. Companies include, Barclays, Unum Provident, Abbey, Dixons, Anglo-American, Tridos, Linklaters, KPMG, Scottish and Southern Energy, QBO Bell Pottinger, Allied Domeq.

2. Absenteeism, lost output and bullying in the workplace. Can it be managed? CBI, April, 2004

3. Community Investment: The impacts of employee volunteering at Barclays Bank, July 2004

4. CSV Make a Difference Day takes place on Saturday 29 October 2005, and activities take part a week either side. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to give time rather than money to improve their local community. The campaign is organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and supported by Barclays community investment programme, the Big Lottery Fund and the Home Office Active Communities Directorate.

5. CSV (Community Service Volunteers) is the UK's leading volunteering and training organisation and creates opportunities for people to play an active part in the life of their community through volunteering, training and community action. Each year 164,000 people give 4.1 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV.

6. Year of the Volunteer 2005 is owned by volunteers, led by a partnership between Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and the Volunteering England Consortium, and supported by the Home Office. To find out more about events and activities during the Year of the Volunteer 2005, please visit the official website at www.yearofthevolunteer.org

7. Barclays PLC actively encourages employee involvement through its Employee Volunteering grant giving, Volunteer 2day time giving and £ for £ match-funding schemes, as well as encouraging the wider public to do the same through supporting flagship projects such as CSV Make a Difference Day and Barclays Spaces for Sports.

8. "We actively encourage our employees to give their time and effort to local charities, urban regeneration, fundraising and all forms of volunteering. We are proud of their efforts and not a little humbled by them." Matt Barrett, Group Chairman.

9. Over 20,000 Barclays employees from around the world took part in community activities in 2004. Nearly 14,000 Barclays employees took part in Make a Difference Day activities alone, including staff in Africa and Spain. Volunteering projects ranged from mentoring, clearing beaches to gardening, painting and decorating.

10. Barclays takes its social and environmental responsibilities seriously, supporting social and financial inclusion both nationally and at grass roots level to make a real and lasting difference to the community. In 2004 the bank continued to be one of the UK's top corporate contributors, making a global commitment of £31.9m and one in three Barclays employees volunteered for their local communities.

11. For further information see social responsibility at http://www.barclays.com. Media enquiries contact: Sarah Davis, Sponsorship PR Manager, Barclays PLC on 020 7116 6095.