Reimagining Volunteering for the Modern Workforce

Part 6 of Deed’s Driving Employee Action: The New Rules of Engagement Series

Employee engagement is changing—and so are employee expectations. Today’s workforce wants more than participation—they want purpose, agency, and the ability to drive change.

At Deed, we believe that empowering employees through social impact isn’t just good for morale—it’s a business strategy. The most forward-thinking companies are reimagining volunteering, unlocking new forms of giving, and scaling purpose across regions and generations.

In Deed’s latest series - Driving Employee Action: The New Rules of Engagement - we explore the new rules of engagement: how to activate employees as changemakers, design modern programs that reflect how people want to give back, and turn social impact into a driver of loyalty, culture, and long-term ROI.

Volunteering Is Changing

The days of company-sponsored cleanup days and soup kitchen shifts are evolving. Today’s employees expect volunteering opportunities that are flexible, personalized, inclusive—and aligned with their values.

As the modern workforce becomes increasingly remote, diverse, and values-driven, how can companies create volunteering programs that truly resonate? It matters more than ever: A Deloitte survey found that 77% of employees say company-sponsored volunteering improves their overall well-being—and 89% believe it leads to a better working environment. 

In this post, we’ll explore the trends redefining corporate volunteering—and how leading companies are adapting with platforms like Deed.

What Today’s Employees Want From Volunteering

A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. Employees are asking:

• Can I volunteer virtually or on my schedule?
• Do opportunities reflect the causes I care about?
• Can I get involved through my Employee Resource Group (ERG) or team?
• Will my contributions be recognized and shared?
  
  

The Rise of Flexible, Skills-Based, and Virtual Volunteering

Modern corporate volunteering includes:

How Deed Supports Modern Volunteering

Deed helps companies:

• Surface global volunteer opportunities through smart discovery across hundreds of trusted nonprofit partners
• Encourage everyday action with an actions library of quick, “micro” acts of kindness that earn rewards and foster connection
• Empower ERGs to manage campaigns, organize events, and deploy funding with flexible, built-in ERG toolkits
• Celebrate impact by spotlighting employee contributions through storytelling and recognition features storytelling and recognition features
• Track what matters using real-time data dashboards that highlight participation, top contributors, and overall impact

Best Practices for Reimagining Volunteering

1. Start With Employee Voice
   • Survey data from Points of Light shows that programs driven by employee interests are 50–70% more effective.
2. Embrace Flexibility and Variety
   • Multiple volunteer types (virtual, skills-based, micro-tasks) correlate with higher participation and employee satisfaction.
3. Connect Volunteering to Identity
   • Partnerships with ERGs significantly boost internal volunteering—54% vs. 31% external volunteer involvement  (Points of Light)
4. Make Recognition a Habit
   • Celebrate impact stories in all-hands, newsletters, and Slack. Points of Light notes that 98% of Civic 50 honorees have formal volunteer recognition programs 
5. Track and Share Outcomes
   • Use data to improve, iterate, and prove the business case. Only about 16% of Civic 50 companies measure volunteer impact rigorously—so your emphasis on dashboards and metrics can distinguish Deed users. (Points of Light)
     
     

Volunteering That Meets the Moment

Today’s employees want to make a difference—but they want to do it in ways that feel authentic, accessible, and meaningful.

Reimagining volunteering isn’t just a perk—it’s a strategic opportunity to boost connection, belonging, and purpose. With the right tools and approach, companies can turn volunteering into a core pillar of culture.

Deed + Goodera: A New Era of Virtual Volunteering
Through Deed’s new Goodera integration, companies can unlock curated, global, and skills-based volunteering experiences—backed by trusted nonprofit partnerships and powerful impact reporting. This partnership makes it easier than ever to provide meaningful, flexible opportunities that resonate across your workforce.

Ready to Reimagine Volunteering?
Let’s build your modern impact program with Deed.