Most American workers don't volunteer for charities. But a survey found that those who do often say their volunteering provides them valuable professional opportunities.
The survey of 1,000 adult workers, conducted by Robert Half, a workforce and staffing consulting firm, found that 41 percent volunteer in their free time.
What type of person is volunteering?
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45 percent of men, compared to 37 percent of women.
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49 percent of those ages 18-34, compared to 35 percent of those ages 35-54.
Here are some of the things that those who do volunteer say they get out of the experience:
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Enhances personal wellness (61 percent)
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Expands professional network (57 percent)
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Helps develop new skills (49 percent)
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Increases visibility for employee's company (35 percent)
"Volunteering can help employees at any level build their careers," said Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. "Not only does it provide the gratification of giving back to the community, but it could open doors to a new professional opportunity or business connection."
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Another Robert Half study this summer suggested that young professionals are likely to be attracted to workplaces that are active in community philanthropy.
Many large companies offer employees paid time off for volunteering. A list of 10 companies that offer such deals compiled by Fortune included Deloitte, which does not cap on the number of hours an employee can be paid for charity work outside of the office. More common are companies, such as Novo Nordisk, NuStar Energy, Autodesk and NetApp, which will pay employees for between one and two weeks of volunteer work.
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