Most employers prefer to recruit candidates with
volunteering experience on their CV, according to a recent survey.
The research by recruitment specialist Reed Executive and
volunteering charity TimeBank shows that nearly three quarters of employers are
impressed by voluntary work. Sixty per cent claim they are more likely to
promote and give pay rises to employees who volunteer.
But only a quarter of employers offer their staff paid time
off work to carry out voluntary work, with 15 per cent allowing sabbaticals for
this purpose.
This is despite over two thirds of respondents viewing
employee volunteering as a way to enhance the community profile of their
company, claims the research. More than three quarters of the organisations
surveyed rating community relations as important.
More than 200 UK
businesses were surveyed for the research.
By Katie Hawkins