Volunteering generates a £4.6bn productivity boost to the UK economy each year, new research has found.
A study by the think tank Pro Bono Economics, commissioned by the Royal Voluntary Service, estimates the UK benefits from annual productivity gains of more than £4,500 per volunteer working in professional and managerial occupations.
The report, called A Pro Bono Bonus: The Impact of Volunteering on Wages and Productivity and published today, says white-collar workers who volunteer with charities typically benefit from learning new skills and developing existing ones.
This results in increased productivity for the individual and typically leads to them earning more, the report finds.
“Through their increased productivity, the average volunteer will earn approximately £2,300 more than they did before they began volunteering,” it says.
The additional National Insurance contributions from this increase amounts to more than £320m a year in revenue for the public purse, the report says.
“Analysis by PBE estimates that there is an additional value of around £1,800 per person for the employer on the basis of an individual employee’s volunteering,” it says.
The report calculates that this leads to the volunteering activities of each new volunteer adding £4,551 to the UK economy.
“This impact is for those people working in professional/managerial professions, but if this figure is multiplied by the total number of volunteers employed in these groups this gives a total value of added productivity attributable to volunteering of almost £4.62bn a year.”
The report says these productivity gains would likely be even higher if the voluntary efforts of those in other job roles, as well as the benefits of volunteering to unemployed people, were taken into account.
Matt Whittaker, chief executive of Pro Bono Economics, said: “Volunteers are a vital resource for charities, but can also benefit personally and professionally through skills development and utilisation, making new connections, increased confidence and wellbeing.
“These rewards for individuals translate into wider benefits for the economy. By encouraging volunteering, productivity gains can be achieved and it makes for a compelling case for businesses to expand employee volunteering opportunities across their entire workforce, enabling everyone at work to benefit.”
Catherine Johnstone, chief executive of the Royal Voluntary Service, said: “As we have noticed with our own volunteers, volunteering is a very effective means to improve confidence and skills and show commitment to an organisation, helping both employed and unemployed people boost their employability and prospects.
“The report has also shown a clear appetite among those currently out of work to volunteer. That’s why we’re now calling for better access to volunteering opportunities for job seekers, alongside more formal recognition for volunteers’ achievements.”