Turning Insights into Action: Designing the Future of Employee Volunteering Together

This is the last post in a 3-part series on the evolution of employee volunteering. Revisit the introduction, part 1 and part 2.

The disruptions of the past five years have done more than challenge the status quo; they’ve revealed the power of business to drive purpose alongside profit. As we look ahead, the question isn’t how to return to what worked before, but how to design something better for everyone. What we build next will shape not only our programs, but the broader role of business in society. Employee volunteering is being reimagined by those willing to rethink everything—how we structure volunteer time off, how we build partnerships and how we use AI to uncover insights, create efficiencies, and grow impact. Volunteering is no longer something to “fit in” to the workday. It is part of what makes work meaningful. This evolution is also being fueled by the rising generation of employees who see social impact as essential, not optional. They expect their employers to align with their values and provide real opportunities to lead change. For programs to stay relevant and resilient, we must channel that energy while letting go of outdated models and building on what has created connection and credibility. Now is the time to embrace forward-looking practices rooted in shared purpose, inclusive leadership, bold ambition and relevance. The future will be shaped by those willing to set transformative goals, foster authentic collaboration and treat the changing workplace as a catalyst for lasting community impact. What principles will we take from the past and the current moment to serve our communities in the future?

• Shared Ownership: Leadership is no longer the sole responsibility of CSR teams. In the most resilient and successful programs, it’s distributed enterprise wide. Employees, from ERG leaders to frontline staff, are helping drive positive change backed by infrastructure that empowers them. Community members and nonprofit partners are no longer passive recipients; they’re co-creators. This collaborative approach builds relevance, relationships and long-term impact.
• Integrated Cross-Functionally: Employee volunteering can no longer be siloed. It must be woven into business strategies, talent development, sustainability goals and well-being initiatives. When it’s part of a cohesive whole, it delivers greater outcomes for business and society alike. Volunteering becomes a tool not only for external impact, but for cultivating inclusive, connected and purpose-driven workplaces.
• Reciprocity: The future of volunteering doesn’t only serve the community; it serves the employee volunteer, too. Done well, it supports learning, development, connection and resilience. Volunteerism is a platform for purpose-driven growth, where giving and receiving are equally valued.
• Flexibility: Today’s workforce is mobile, global and hybrid. Employee volunteer programs must reflect that. It needs to meet employees where they are with multiple modes of engagement: virtual, in-person, individual, team-based, traditional, skills-based, episodic and ongoing. Flexibility shouldn’t be extra; it should be expected.
• Enabled by Technology: AI, personalization and automation are reshaping how we connect people to purpose. Smart tools can reduce administrative burdens and decision-making time. They can personalize experiences and expand access. But innovation must be grounded in ethics. We must use technology to enhance and not replace the human connection at the core of volunteering.
• Rooted in Trust: Metrics matter, but relationships matter more. Programs that are extractive or performative are giving way to those that prioritize mutual respect and accountability. Trust is built when nonprofit partners are invited to shape, not just receive corporate support. Deeper partnerships mean shared planning, co-investment and long-term alignment on community-defined goals.

TURNING INSIGHTS INTO ACTION

The future won’t be built by chance. It will be shaped by leaders willing to question long-held assumptions and act with purpose. That means reevaluating even our most established practices from what counts as volunteering to how we capture and communicate impact. It also means committing to courageous, measurable goals. Not just to increase participation, but to increase equity, resilience and systems-level change. Here are a few tactical moves to build a stronger foundation:

• Center Equity in Every Decision: From who gets to volunteer to which communities receive support, continuously audit for bias and actively expand access.
• Prioritize Nonprofit Voice: Invite nonprofits into the design process. Build feedback loops that ensure they shape your initiatives, not just report on them. Value their insights, expertise and time as much as your own.
• Balance Moments with Momentum: While single-day volunteer projects can serve as an entry point, build enterprise awareness and galvanize employees around a shared vision; impact also comes from deeper relationships. Invest in skills-based and long-term opportunities that deliver mutual value. Balance breadth with depth to create sustained change.
• Plan for Outcomes, Not Just Activities: Don’t wait until year-end to define impact. Build metrics into your strategy that reflect more than inputs and outputs. Track employee growth, community outcomes and program alignment with business and social goals.
• Reexamine Enabling Strategies and Policies: Ensure policies and support mechanisms reflect current workplace realities, recognize group and individual actions and remove barriers.
• Invest in CSR Infrastructure: Ensure systems, staffing and cross-functional alignment are in place to scale and sustain purpose-driven programs.
• Set Bold Goals that Matter: Aim higher. Define what success looks like not only in employee participation, but in shared community outcomes. Make your commitments public, co-developed with partners and focused on systemic change.

LEADING INTO TOMORROW

The most effective employee volunteer programs of tomorrow will embrace complexity, elevate shared leadership and use service as a tool for both business and community transformation. True success won’t be defined by how many employees show up, but by the positive change their participation creates. This is our opportunity to make service central to how companies operate and what they value. Let’s define what comes next with intention, courage and collective action.

Turning Insights into Action: How Disruption Shaped a New Era of Employee Volunteering

Part 2 of a 3-part series on the evolution of employee volunteering. Revisit the introduction and part 1.

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, it didn’t just change how we work, it reshaped how we live, connect and contribute. Offices closed, communities faced heightened needs and the systems we once relied on were tested in real time. This moment also marked a turning point, as businesses and communities alike responded to the call for community change by working to rebuild trust and broaden opportunities for all. Employees across generations and geographies began demanding more from their companies: more accountability, more empathy and more action. Over the past five years, significant shifts have sparked innovation and reshaped the role of volunteering in the workplace. Disruption was the spark, sure, but a mindset change was the fuel. Many CSR leaders adopted a powerful belief: there is no growth without change, and every change brings opportunity. That shift, viewing a challenge as a catalyst, has led to a more human-centered, intentional approach to employee volunteering.

A NEW DEFINITION OF VOLUNTEERING EMERGES

Before 2020, volunteering in the workplace was often centered on structured, in-person events with nonprofits. But in the face of public health restrictions, CSR leaders were forced to think differently. Virtual volunteering became a lifeline, not just a stopgap. Employees mentored youth online, wrote letters to frontline workers and connected with isolated seniors. Everyday acts of kindness like delivering groceries or helping a neighbor were embraced as valid and valuable contributions. Crowdfunding surged as a way to meet community needs, while hybrid volunteering became both common and complex. This broader view of

what “counts” as volunteering

helped democratize engagement, opening the door for more people to participate regardless of role, schedule or location.

THE RISE OF EMPLOYEE VOICE AND COMMUNITY-CENTERED ACTION

The post-2020 landscape saw employees stepping into new roles not just as volunteers, but as activists, advocates and advisors. For the first time in history, all five generations were in the workplace at once, bringing with them diverse perspectives and expectations. Employees increasingly sought to align their personal values with their professional lives, pushing companies to show up authentically and consistently in their communities. This period also gave rise to community-centered approaches to volunteering marked by a deeper understanding of power imbalances, a growing embrace of trust-based philanthropy and efforts to unburden nonprofit partners from extractive or performative models of engagement. Mental health and well-being also took center stage. Volunteer efforts expanded to include opportunities for personal reflection, meaning and connection—focusing not just on what employees could give, but also what they needed to thrive.

LEADING INTO 2025: A STRONGER FOUNDATION

The disruptions of the past five years didn’t derail employee volunteering. They strengthened it. We now see companies embedding volunteering into their broader strategies by aligning service with business priorities, organizational values and social outcomes. There’s greater attention to

measurement, responsible storytelling

, integration with ERGs and building community resilience alongside an understanding that impact isn’t always immediate or visible.

• This work is happening in the context of a dramatically shifting environment. Today, we face a new set of challenges:
• Political polarization is seeping into the workplace, with companies under pressure to either take a stand or remain neutral on complex societal issues.
• Backlash to efforts around belonging and sustainability is creating hesitation, even as employees and communities continue to value these commitments.
• The workplace itself is changing, with hybrid and remote models becoming the norm, challenging traditional engagement strategies.
• AI is emerging as both a powerful tool and a cultural disruptor, reshaping how we work, communicate and make decisions.

These pressures can feel overwhelming. But they also represent an opportunity to reimagine how we engage employees and support communities. We’re seeing leading programs respond by:

• Designing community engagement around nonprofit needs, not just corporate objectives.
• Empowering employees, especially ERGs and grassroots leaders, to drive engagement from within.
• Offering flexible, virtual and skills-based opportunities that reflect today’s workplace realities.
• Using AI to personalize and streamline experiences, while maintaining ethical boundaries and human connection.

This is not the time for retreat. It’s the time for boldness—grounded in purpose, equity and care. The future belongs to those who lean in, listen deeply and design with intention.

TURNING INSIGHTS INTO ACTION

Change has accelerated progress rather than delayed it and meeting the current moment requires leaders who act with courage and conviction. Use what we’ve learned from the recent past to align your programs with the current needs of employees, community partners and society.

• Evaluate accessibility: Can employees regardless of role or work setting engage meaningfully in creating positive change? Are senior leaders actively championing your volunteer time off policy and are middle managers putting that commitment into practice?
• Check power dynamics: Are your volunteer programs co-designed with communities, not just for them? Shift from transactional relationships to trust-based partnerships.
• Explore responsible AI integration: Leverage AI to personalize and to streamline tasks but keep human connection at the core. Use automation for efficiency, not empathy.
• Measure what matters: Move beyond counting hours and start assessing outcomes. Prioritize metrics that reflect community benefit, employee development and business value.
• Embed equity into decision-making: Ensure your programs reflect a wide range of identities and lived experiences. Audit who’s shaping your initiatives and who’s being left out.
• Normalize purpose in workplace culture: Make volunteering and civic action part of what it means to grow and lead in your organization. Recognize servant leadership as a core competency.
• Prioritize internal collaboration: CSR doesn’t live in a silo. Break down barriers between departments like HR, Operations and even Compliance to build unified, employee-powered strategies.

LOOKING AHEAD

The path from 2020 to 2025 wasn’t linear, but it was transformative. Along the way, change challenged assumptions, surfaced new possibilities and opened doors to innovations we couldn’t have predicted. We’ve entered an era where CSR leaders must navigate through increased scrutiny, cultural division and rapid technological evolution. But these forces are also creating space to build smarter, more responsive and more inclusive volunteer programs. We’ve seen what’s possible when companies listen deeply, respond with integrity and courage and equip employees with tools to lead real change. The next chapter of employee volunteering will reflect not only the realities of today, but also the opportunities and the growth that only disruption can make possible.

Up Next: In Part 3 of this series, we’ll explore how today’s most forward-thinking CSR practitioners are preparing for what’s next by setting bold goals, deepening community partnerships and redefining the future of work through volunteering.

Turning Insights Into Action: What the Past Tells Us About What’s Next

To lead with clarity and confidence in a time of rapid change, we must first understand where we’ve been. The evolution of employee volunteering is filled with insights not just about how far we’ve come, but about the assumptions and strategies we’ve inherited. This first installment in

our three-part series

looks back at the history of employee engagement and corporate volunteerism. By unpacking the milestones, motivations and missteps of past eras, we can better understand what shaped our current practices and more importantly, how to shape what comes next.

The Origins: Values Before Vocabulary

Before “CSR” and “ESG” were business buzzwords, social responsibility showed up in the choices of individuals and mission-driven institutions. Think Carnegie’s

Gospel of Wealth

, Rockefeller’s philanthropic legacy, or early faith-based organizations’ refusals to support unethical industries. As businesses began to adopt more formal responsibility for social impact, employees were slowly brought into the fold. By the early 20th century, as the Progressive Era took root in the U.S., companies began to recognize the importance of employee well-being and community infrastructure to long-term business success. Founded in 1907,

Johnson & Johnson’s the Laurel Club

is thought to be the first documented examples of a structured employee organization with a charter focused on public service and volunteering to improve maternal and child public health, which directly tied to some of the company’s products. Payroll deductions for “

community chests

” in the 1920s served as precursors to United Way campaigns and offered early systems for employee involvement in giving. These weren’t side projects. They were initial proofs of concept that employee and community engagement could be aligned with business value.

Expanding Responsibility: From Individual Goodwill to Collective Impact

The 1970s ushered in a broader acknowledgment of a “social contract” between companies and their stakeholders. Employee volunteering emerged alongside philanthropic giving, shaped by shifting public expectations and emerging CSR theory. Some credit Ben & Jerry’s with pioneering volunteer time off in the late 1970s, linking employee empowerment with social values. By the 1980s and ’90s, the idea of employees serving as ambassadors of company values through volunteering gained momentum, bolstered by national calls to action like President George H.W. Bush’s vision for a “

thousand points of light

.”

When Participation Overshadowed Purpose

In the mid-1990s and early 2000s, employee volunteering became more formalized, especially in large corporations. Programs were top-down and aligned more with good PR and market expansion goals than with employee passions or community needs. Volunteering was seen as a novel way to enhance reputation and differentiate in a booming economy fueled by rapid technological advancement. The optimism of the “New Economy” created space for businesses to experiment with CSR, though the dot-com crash in 2000 soon tempered this momentum. The

Businesses Strengthening America

coalition, formed in response to President George W. Bush’s 2002 call to service in the wake of the devastating attacks on 9/11, helped drive initiatives like the first-ever

corporate Month of Service

spearheaded by The Home Depot in 2005. But the emphasis often leaned toward participation over purpose such as hours logged, photos taken and boxes checked. Signature days of service, seasonal giving campaigns and check presentations created visibility and increased morale but often fell short of lasting impact. Too often, the spotlight was on what companies gave, not what communities needed. Nonprofit partners found themselves hosting corporate groups with little context or long-term support. Employees wanted deeper meaning and better alignment with their values.

Cracks in the Model and a Shift Toward Meaning

Even so, those early efforts built important muscle: introducing employees to volunteering and their agency to create positive change, signaling a social license to operate and embedding the idea that business can be a force for good. During the 2008 recession, we saw CSR leaders advocating for the power of volunteering to build culture, boost morale and demonstrate values during difficult times. But over time, communities asked for more collaboration and less charity. Initiatives like

A Billion + Change

attempted to respond, shifting the focus to pro bono and skills-based volunteering. This was a pivotal insight: the most meaningful impact often came not from volume, but from value—when companies offered what they do best in service of community needs. This approach aligned with a broader evolution in corporate purpose. In 2019, the

Business Roundtable

redefined its principles, moving away from shareholder primacy and affirming a commitment to all stakeholders, signaling a new era of corporate responsibility.

What the Past Tells Us About What’s Next

Today, employee volunteering is no longer a side benefit, it’s a strategic imperative. Employees are stepping into leadership roles to address urgent issues like social justice, climate change and mental health. What started as top-down philanthropy has evolved into employee-powered, community-centered impact. But we don’t get to this next chapter without understanding the last.

Turning Insights into Action

Before building what’s next, it’s worth unpacking what brought us here. These steps can help CSR leaders translate historical insight into forward-looking action:

• Audit your past impact. How did your company measure success before 2020? Hours logged? Dollars donated? Were those metrics telling the full story?
• Map legacy mindsets. Identify assumptions like “volunteering = one-off events” or “impact = participation.” Are those beliefs still influencing decisions today?
• Acknowledge what didn’t work. Ask your nonprofit partners and volunteer champions where past efforts fell short. Use that insight to clarify what you want to leave behind.
• Protect what built trust. Identify the practices that created belonging, connection and authenticity. Celebrate and build on them.

When we honor our history with honesty and humility, we create space for something stronger to take root. The future of employee volunteering won’t erase the past; it will build on its lessons, informed by deeper purpose and true partnership.

Turning Insights into Action: Leading Employee Volunteering Through Change

If you’re leading employee volunteer efforts or shaping CSR strategy, you’ve likely felt it: the ground beneath our work is shifting. We’re living through a time marked by social, economic, technological and political upheaval. And while it may feel easier or safer to wait for clarity, the truth is: some of the most transformative innovations in corporate social impact emerge precisely during times of uncertainty. Since 2020, the workplace has undergone seismic changes. Remote and hybrid work are now normalized. Employees are redefining purpose and belonging. Today’s workforce is more generationally diverse than ever before. Meanwhile, movements for social justice, scrutiny of DEI and ESG, and the explosion of generative AI have reshaped how organizations think about leadership, responsibility and trust. These moments have surely challenged us, but they’ve also opened the door to something greater. Because uncertainty doesn’t just disrupt. It creates turning points. It invites us to think differently, build deeper partnerships and design programs that are more authentic, inclusive and better aligned with employees, nonprofit partners and what communities truly need. This is especially true for employee community engagement. What was once considered a “nice-to-have” is now central to how companies build culture, foster trust and contribute to a better world. Whether you’re running point on a day-to-day employee volunteer program or making enterprise-wide CSR decisions, this is your moment to shape what comes next. This blog kicks off a three-part series exploring how moments of disruption have—and will—fuel innovation in corporate citizenship and how you can meet this moment with courage and creativity. We’ll also highlight actions you can take now to help your programs stay resilient and future-ready.

Part 1: Where We Were

We’ll look back at the evolution of employee volunteering pre-2020 and in “the before times.”

• How did we define success in earlier models?
• Who benefited and who was left out?
• What lessons from the distant past still shape us today?

Turning Insights into Action

Before you can build what’s next, you need to understand what brought you here. These steps will help you evaluate past frameworks, uncover hidden assumptions and carry forward the lessons that still serve.

• Audit impact evaluation. Review how you measured success before 2020 compared with now. Was it hours logged, dollars donated or meaningful community outcomes?
• Map mindset shifts. Identify the assumptions that drove earlier programs and assess which ones need to evolve.

Understanding our history can illuminate what needs to change and the strengths we can carry forward.

Part 2: Where We Are

We’ll examine today’s environment: political headwinds, DEI and ESG scrutiny, AI’s emergence and post-pandemic workforce shifts.

• What pressures are forcing CSR programs to evolve?
• How are leading companies adapting to create more material, inclusive and responsive engagement?

Turning Insights into Action

This moment calls for responsive, values-driven leadership. Use these ideas to align your programs with the changing needs of employees, nonprofits and society without losing your core mission.

• Evaluate accessibility and power dynamics. Can employees regardless of role or work setting engage meaningfully in myriad ways to create positive change? Are you co-designing volunteer initiatives that reflect diverse employee identities and serve both community and business priorities?
• Explore responsible AI integration. Try AI to streamline efficiencies but keep human connection at the core.

Today’s challenges create urgent opportunities to design programs that are more resilient, material, equitable and grounded in trust.

Part 3: Where We’re Headed

We’ll explore future-forward practices that center trust, shared leadership and measurable impact.

• What innovations are reshaping employee engagement and corporate impact?
• How can we co-create a future that is more human-centered, scalable and addresses systems change?

Turning Insights into Action

What you do today will define the next chapter of your company’s impact. These actions help you design for long-term relevance, deeper connection and shared value.

• Center nonprofit voice. Create feedback loops that ensure nonprofit partners shape—not just receive—your volunteer initiatives.
• Shift from transactions to relationships. What practices can you integrate that move you toward transformative, deeper engagements for community partners and employee volunteers?
• Embed measurement from the start. Co-define success metrics that go beyond participation rates to reflect meaningful, lasting outcomes.

The future of employee volunteering depends on bold leadership, intentional design and a willingness to reimagine from the ground up.

A Shared Opportunity to Lead What’s Next

For CSR executives, this is a chance to go beyond legacy approaches and build purpose-centered strategies that strengthen your company’s culture, brand and social license to operate. For employee volunteer managers, this is an invitation to step into deeper leadership by amplifying employee and nonprofit voices, embedding equity and building accessible, scalable initiatives that truly make a difference. We hope this series helps you see uncertainty not as something to manage, but as something to leverage. Because the most relevant and resilient programs of the future won’t come from playing it safe. They’ll emerge from the courage to innovate in moments like this one. This is a moment for listening deeply, reimagining boldly and building human-centered programs that are more resilient, impactful and accessible.

Let’s not wait for clarity. Let’s build what’s next together.