Fostering Team Bonding Through Corporate Volunteering Abroad
The effects of volunteerism on employees is well documented. So why not blend your next team-building effort with community outreach and volunteer efforts? Better yet, do it overseas!
Volunteering overseas is a life-changing experience that can benefit the volunteer as much as it does the cause. It’s a meaningful exchange, in which the volunteers contribute their time and skills in exchange for new insights into different cultures and self-development. It’s a great experience to share - your team of socially conscious colleagues working together in ways that they may never have expected to be able to, and bonding over a new and meaningful activity. It's something that can’t be done by sitting in a conference room: What a great reason to get up from your desk and get out of the office! You think your best memories at work were times that you sat around the office with coworkers going out your daily routines? Probably not. You’ll have the chance to network and meet new people in your company in the process, too. This type of bonding is unlike other team building that you’ve done before – you’ll grow together as a group and on a personal level, you’ll gain self-esteem and self-worth. Volunteering can give also give your junior members an opportunity to manage others sooner than might have been possible in the workplace. It’ll also expose everyone to a wider range of tasks that they might not get on a daily basis!
Every member of your team brings their different skills and perspectives; members learn from each other; camaraderie nurtured - these are all valuable contributions to both the underserved community and the dynamics of the group.
There’s a host of reasons to volunteer:
- It’s a socially responsible contribution to the local community,
- It enhances your organization’s image as a good corporate citizen,
- It helps to elevate employee and client pride, resulting in improved recruitment, morale, and increasing sales,
- It’s a way to provide employees with a fun and enriching experience,
- It helps teamwork and collaboration, which results in increased productivity,
- It’s a great way to bridge the gap between business and communities.
Through all your team members’ acquired skills and knowledge, they have the potential to make a greater and more lasting impact on sustainable community initiatives.
Plan what are the outcomes you’re looking for - is it managing change? Improving communication within the group? Enhancing motivation levels? Integrating new team members and strengthening existing relationships? Building trust? Improving the team’s cohesion? It’s also important to carefully define the volunteer activity, and pay attention to cultural and environmental concerns. Also do make sure that your team’s efforts will fulfill a true community need.
Giving back gives you the opportunity to help make change in a community and work towards something great while also empowering your own self-worth. Not everyone likes to volunteer the same way. By restricting your company’s volunteer initiatives to a few large events per year, you’re also restricting employees’ individual passions and skills. People who opt-out of these large-scale volunteer activities won’t have the opportunity to feel like they’re making a difference in their community.
As a woman trying to build a career, it can seem as if any detour and time off will completely derail your momentum. However, travelling can actually bring you a host of benefits to your career, and help you develop holistically. It’s absolutely possible for women to take up travelling without sacrificing other elements of their lives.
Be game to travel to exotic locations such as India and China. Research conducted by PwC shows that whilst graduates are more than willing to help companies fulfil their growth ambitions by working abroad – only 11 per cent of these graduates appear happy to go to India and only 2 per cent to China, citing safety concerns. However, they look to be the most important markets for many industries, and will certainly define the global business context for decades. They’re extremely stimulating places to learn too! When travelling, it’s a great opportunity to ponder about what’s important in your life, and refocus on your self-development and career. Challenge yourself. Although you may believe that you’re internationally aware from living in multicultural cities and communities, for those who want to get ahead in today’s global world, there really is still no substitute for international experience and direct exposure to different cultures. You’ll be able to come home feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, and looking set to tackle further challenges ahead. Gain confidence: If you have international work experience, you’re more likely to be confident and have an outgoing personality, which helps you engage well with stakeholders.
Learn a new skill - this is especially relevant for those taking longer trips. Try to think about the skills employers are looking for in your industry, and try to cater to that. All businesses value employees with a wide skill set. For example, you can look at mastering another language to polish your CV. Fluency in a foreign language is a skill that organizations value, in particular, those that operate at an international level as you’ll now be able to communicate smoothly with their overseas offices. It’s a good example of how international work experience can give you a leg up your career, and also shows employers that you’re willing to take the initiative, and game to take on new challenges.
Building global networks - when you’re travelling, try to establish contact with everyone - you never know when they’ll be useful for your career. With the advent of social media, making a contact is as simple as adding someone on LinkedIn or Facebook. The contacts that you make while travelling may very well be your ticket to a whole new career path - it’s important to network wherever you are.
Volunteering abroad allows you to make a difference to the community, and it looks great on your CV. You’ll be immersed in a different culture, and you need to learn what it takes to live and work in another country. The business world is becoming increasingly international and employers are now more likely to turn to candidates possessing overseas experience. In a YouGov survey, 63% of HR professionals stated that candidates who’ve taken a constructive gap year of volunteering or working abroad were applications that stood out from the rest.
One of the more difficult obstacles to overcome when applying for work is work experience. It’s a catch-22 situation - employers want candidates with work experience - but how can you get work experience if employers don’t want to give it to you? If it’s tough to get experience in the US, then why not try elsewhere? You can apply for positions in Mexico, Peru, and Thailand. If you do manage to get a position in a foreign country for a month or two, then you’re already a step ahead of other candidates - you’ll be able to position yourself as an independent and adaptable candidate to future employers. Finding yourself in a new societal and corporate culture will allow you to double your learning. You’ll have the opportunity to observe the unique chain of command, dynamics of team meetings, and even mealtime rituals. You’ll also show that you are culturally experienced, and are willing to offer a commitment above and beyond what other candidates might be able to offer.
At the end of the day, travelling can offer a diversity of experiences and turn you into a more confident, well-rounded individual. As long as you think hard about how travelling benefits your career before you go, you’ll be well-positioned to plan a trip that’ll be both personally and professionally rewarding.
