Employers urged to reboot workplace morale through volunteering

A nationwide initiative to boost flagging morale in UK workplaces while building resilience in our communities has launched with a call for employers to step up their employee volunteering efforts.

The 100 Million Hour Movement, spearheaded by Royal Voluntary Service, aims to double employee volunteering hours undertaken – from 50 million to 100 million – by the end of 2028, delivering major benefits to workplaces and communities.

Research for the campaign suggests a growing sense of malaise now characterises much of the UK workforce. Nearly half of UK workers (49 per cent) report their morale as ‘low’ or ‘neutral’ and one in five admit it’s worsened in the past year.

A combination of factors are affecting workplace morale including workload pressures (29 per cent), lack of recognition (21 per cent), poor work–life balance (18 per cent), cost cutting or salary freezes (16 per cent) and a lack of purpose in work (14 per cent). However, continued division and challenges in communities are also playing a part: 42 per cent of workers say this has affected workplace culture or team relationships – rising to 64 per cent of 18–24s and 58 per cent of 25–34s.

The 100 Million Hour Movement has been launched to help elevate morale and strengthen society through greater participation in workplace volunteering and in response to clear evidence of volunteering’s many benefits.

For employers and their people, it’s a proven way to improve wellbeing, motivation, skills, confidence and connection – all factors that contribute to higher engagement and productivity at work. Volunteering also strengthens communities by building resilience, connection and understanding between people from different backgrounds. If more businesses and employers lean in, the potential for the UK is considerable, helping to close the three million volunteer shortfall charities face amid rising demand for support.

The 100 Million Hour Movement follows on from the recent launch of GoVo for Business, the UK’s only charity-backed employee volunteering platform.

To join the 100 Million Hour Movement, organisations of all sizes, across every sector, nationwide are being urged to boost volunteering across their workforce, pledging to undertake three essential steps:

1. Lead from the front: Senior leaders should volunteer and actively promote workplace programmes – normalising participation and sending a clear message that volunteering matters.
2. Open volunteering up: Only a third of UK workers are offered volunteering time currently. By making volunteering available to more colleagues, regardless of job role, location or working pattern, it will help foster a more inclusive culture, increasing uptake and impact.
3. Make it easy: To remove friction, employers should provide clear guidance on how to get involved and offer a simple sign-up pathway. This could be supported by tech platforms like GoVo for Business which make it easy to find, apply and track volunteering opportunities.

Carole Urey, Chief Revenue Officer, Royal Voluntary Service said: “The nation is under growing strain. People are feeling depleted and disengaged, with workplace morale declining and communities facing mounting pressures. Employee volunteering is a practical and effective way to respond to these challenges. Yet in many workplaces it’s still an overlooked resource. Millions of volunteering hours set aside each year go unused. It’s a wasted opportunity.

“We’ve launched the 100 Million Hour Movement to kickstart a national effort to reboot the UK’s morale and build community resilience through the power of employee volunteering at scale. From major corporates to SMEs, public sector organisations and not-for-profits, we’re calling on UK employers to sign a pledge to grow participation in volunteering and join our movement to create positive, lasting change across our workplaces and communities.” 

The 100 Million Hour Movement will run until the end of 2028. To find out more click here.