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Volunteering Time Off, or VTO, has become a buzz topic for many companies as of late. It involves encouraging employees to take time off from their job to plug in to their community and the nonprofits that support it. Let’s delve in deeper to understand what VTO looks like.

• Typical VTO policies allot for 8 hours of paid time off to volunteer each year.
• Just like Paid Time Off (PTO), VTO usually requires advance notice to the employer and approval for time away from the business.
• Studies have shown that VTO boosts employee engagement and retention.
• Millennials state they are attracted to companies who offer VTO.
• VTO builds loyalty and pride for a company with its employees.
• A recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study states 20% of its respondents now offer volunteering benefits as part of their employee benefits package.

As you look for ways to engage with your employees through VTO, take a look at these resources:

• VolunteerMatch.org—This website makes the business-to-nonprofit connection possible. Nonprofits post projects and jobs they need assistance with and then the company builds its team to help.
• Volunteering Is CSR—An arm of Volunteer Match, this blog is for business leaders to educate themselves on best practices and case studies.
• CatchAFire.org—This site connects professionals with nonprofits using their specific skill sets.
• PointsOfLight.org—Founded by President George H.W. Bush, this group offers toolkits to businesses and nonprofits to maximize volunteering efforts as well as offers products to maximize those efforts.