Volunteering makes you a better employee, people say

A third of Brits believe volunteering outside of work benefits their job, as almost half currently help out in their local community. Of those, one in four volunteers said they had improved confidence and leadership as a result – while others believe they became more creative, productive and focused.

As a result of their volunteering work, one in five Brits also feel they have a wider range of skills and experience. Openreach’s research found that only 16% of Brits say their employer offers paid time off for volunteering and charity work. Bristol and Leeds were found to be the two cities where employers are most likely to offer paid time off to engage in community work – but only 9% of employers in Glasgow allow employees to take paid leave to volunteer.

The data also uncovered that London was the volunteering capital of the UK, with over half of respondents (57%) helping out in their communities outside of work. 39% said they are more likely to volunteer as a result of work policies such as paid leave – as well as flexible hours and remote working options.

Of those helping others, 58% are 18-34-year-olds, while only a third of those over the age of 55 engage in community work. Katie Milligan, Chief Commercial Officer at Openreach said: “We couldn't be more proud to see all the incredible volunteering work that is taking place across the country.

“From vulnerable persons' support to animal conservation, workers are choosing to make time outside of their everyday job for their community – to make a difference in any way that they can.

"Openreach is committed to building a workforce of people from all walks of life, with a wide range of backgrounds, skills and experiences. To read some of the stories of people that work there visit openreach.co.uk/people "