While some of us are content to pick up a hammer to help Habitat in our communities, others have wanderlust wrapped around their desire to help others. During the last week, likely your heart has broken or at least felt a wee bit blubbery with news of the human suffering from tragedies in Myanmar and China.
“My hands could help move those stones,” you think. Realistically, most of us haven’t the time or the money to make it happen. Our hands need to be able to flip open the check book and pay our mortgages.
So a laser light show please for companies who offer up the three golden perks of the world – time off with pay to volunteer abroad.
While I won’t say nary a bad thing about PNC Financial Services Group’s volunteer initiatives that partner with 200 nationwide nonprofits, the experience in developing countries is what many individuals seek.
Ernst & Young’s overseas volunteer initiative, launched in 2006, is popular with new hires and Pfizer expanded its volunteer initiative in 2003. IBM revved up more than 5,000 employees who applied to the Corporate Services Corps to work on projects that combine economic development and information technology.
Though only 100 employees were “blogging like mad on the internal system” after they were picked, the company is committed to sending 600 of it’s “emerging leaders” over the next three years. Twelve teams will be off to Ghana, the Philipines, Romania, Turkey, Tanzania and Vietnam.
Make no mistake what the company gets back. Sixty-four percent say their employer’s social and environmental activities inspire loyalty.
So the company gets your steadfastness, but who’s looking out for your career? Shouldn’t you stay home and work harder? Really, what’s to gain from traipsing off wearing a toolbelt where no one speaks English?
Two even more golden answers appear:
1. Enhance your skills and expertise to become a global leader
(as opposed to an un-global one)
2. Empower yourself as a citizen in the 21st century workforce
(who really gives a damn about the world)
Either one might be worth the price of an airline ticket on your own dime.
2 Responses (add yours)
The global leader and citizen points are great – so important. There’s also the growing trend of “skill-based volunteerism”, where an individual uses his or her skills to help others…the use of one’s skills might make some feel like there’s more of a direct career impact. But even without the application of skills, your “golden” benefits seem golden enough.
With the increased focus on having that international experience for many positions/promotions, this may serve as a low risk (for organizations and individuals) to try out the “expat” experience. Though the work may be less “strategic”, if one chooses to try this, they may discover that one likes it, or doesn’t – and that knowledge and proven track record may open doors or at least hone what one looks for in a position.