Business

Workplace volunteering could boost productivity and unlock billions

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2024

EXPANDING workplace volunteering opportunities to cover all employees in the UK could generate billions in economic gains (£1.2 billion – £3.6 billion per year in wellbeing benefits to individuals, £1.6 billion – £2.8 billion per year in improved net productivity)
Ensuring all employees have access to volunteering opportunities could save between 1.4 million and 2.5 million working days of sickness absence.

Workplace volunteering has the potential to boost productivity, improve employees’ wellbeing, and generate billions for the UK economy, according to a new report by Pro Bono Economics (PBE).1

The report – ‘Triple dividend: How workplace volunteering can make us happier, healthier and more productive’ – which has been produced for business volunteering charity Pilotlight, found that net productivity gains of between £1.6 billion – £2.8 billion could be unlocked for the UK economy by expanding workplace volunteering opportunities.2

PBE’s analysis revealed that 17 – 23 million employees currently do not have access to workplace volunteering, and so are missing out on the health benefits of volunteering and the opportunities to learn new skills. By expanding workplace volunteering opportunities to cover all employees in the UK, the current untapped potential could generate £1.2 billion – £3.6 billion in wellbeing benefits per year to the individuals themselves.

It could also reduce levels of absenteeism, with research showing that participation in a workplace volunteering scheme provides an average reduction in absence of around 0.9 days per year for each member of staff volunteering.3 The number of days that employees have taken off work due to illness has risen sharply since the pandemic, with 186 million lost alone in 2022, an increase of more than a third over the 2019 level. The total cost of sickness absence to UK employers was around £24 billion – roughly equivalent to the GDP generated by Newcastle – or £6.4 billion higher than if absence rates stayed at the 2019 level.4

Turning to the productivity benefit overall, the PBE report points to studies which have suggested the productivity impact of workplace volunteering is sizeable, with high-skilled individuals who volunteer experiencing an estimated £2,300 boost to earnings. If the estimated productivity increase was applied to all the 1.4 – 2.5 million additional volunteers who participated from workplace volunteering to all employees, it could provide a gross productivity increase of between £2.2 billion and £3.9 billion.

Even after deducting the costs of lost time and administration fees for volunteering schemes, the productivity benefits could amount to net productivity gains of between £1.5 billion and £2.8 billion to the UK economy.5

There is a clear appetite from employees from the expansion of workplace volunteering. Analysis by NCVO suggests that between one quarter and a third of employees will take advantage of workplace volunteering when it’s available. This means that between 1.5 million and 2.8 million additional people might volunteer if workplace volunteering schemes were expanded across all employers.

While boost workplace volunteering would have some costs to the employer, the benefits more than outweigh those costs. For the employer, workplace volunteering schemes such as those run by Pilotlight which bring businesses and charities together could deliver between £1.50 and £3.60 of benefits for every £1 spent.

To make the most of the opportunity, research by the charity has suggested that employers should take steps to help employees around the options for volunteering. More than a third of employees surveyed (38%) said that an obstacle to volunteering is a lack of guidance from their employer. Of those currently involved in workplace volunteering, 79% believe that businesses themselves benefit from the practice.6

The benefits also have the potential to positively impact on communities, at a time when they are in need of extra support. Three in ten (30%) charities reporting increased rates of staff burnout as they struggle with the triple challenge of rising demand, difficulties recruiting volunteers and challenges with recruitment. This is particularly true of small charities, with almost six in ten (59%) reporting that recruiting volunteers is a major concern for them following a long-term decline in volunteer participation rates.8

Dr Jansev Jemal, Director of Research and Policy at Pro Bono Economics, said: “Increasing access to workplace volunteering opportunities has a triple dividend, as it could boost productivity and unlock billions in the UK economy, while providing much needed support for charities. In addition to wellbeing for employees, there’s a compelling, hard-nosed business case for considering workplace volunteering, including boosts to health and skills.

“As businesses take up this opportunity, there is a need to be realistic about the challenges for the charities themselves. Using volunteers effectively takes resources to manage, oversee and support those that are giving up their time. Businesses and other funders will need to consider how they can benefit by supporting the underlying costs of volunteering programmes, rather than assuming that an offer of time alone will suffice.”

Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Pilotlight, said: “When it comes to business and charity, these results change everything – volunteering is not a cost, it is an investment. It is good for charity, good for the volunteer and good for the bottom line.

At the heart of this, in the partnerships we have designed with a range of leading businesses, is how employees develop their skills as they deploy them in a radically different setting. In future, it will not be the PR or corporate affairs department that leads on employee volunteering, but HR leaders who see it as an integral part of their toolkit for developing talent and skills.”

Jack Kidder, Responsible Business Manager at Henry Boot PLC, said: “At Henry Boot, we know that volunteering empowers our people to dedicate their time, skills, and passion for the benefit of our communities. This is not only impactful for charities, but also hugely beneficial for our business. Volunteering their time allows our people to connect with issues they care about in the communities in which we work and live. It creates a genuine sense of purpose and cohesion as our people come together to make a real difference for others – whether through inspiring learners, supporting communities, restoring habitats, or sharing knowledge. Volunteering enables our people to develop their skills and experience the positive wellbeing effects associated with helping others. This use of our time is helping shape our evolving culture as we celebrate being a long-term sustainable business that genuinely cares for the communities we work with, while we create exciting new places across the UK.”

Alexandra Berry, Head of Sustainability at the Strand Palace Hotel said: “Our team love to get involved in team-building hikes, red nose days, wellbeing walks, ‘Wear it Pink’ days, charity runs, bingo nights, themed quizzes, clothing donation drives, as well as offering our team a paid volunteering day each year. Feedback from our team has expressed these community events provide socialisation and relaxation outside of the hotel alongside contribution to a charitable cause, of which they are passionate about supporting.

“In 2023, the team raised over £3,000 through 8 local fundraising activities. What’s more, we have a regular commitment with The Connection at St Martins for our team members to volunteer to spend time with The Connection’s guests in their art room. With arts, crafts and chatting, the visits from the Strand Palace team help to build the guests’ confidence and social skills, providing a creative outlet away from the stress of being homeless.”

Business

Tudor Glen Caravan Park Pembrokeshire planning call

Published

11 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for a Pembrokeshire caravan site to be allowed static caravans in lieu of touring ones, which the applicant says was allowed back in 1988, has been submitted to the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Keith Stevens of Tudor Glen Caravan Park, Jameston, through agent Lambe Planning & Design Ltd, seeks a certificate of lawfulness of an existing use of the site to establish the status of a 1988 planning permission.

Essentially what that means is the applicant is seeking confirmation of details of that permission as to whether it includes static or touring caravans.

A supporting statement says: “Tudor Glen Caravan Park is a long-established family owned and operated Holiday Park. The Park extends to approximately six acres and caters for families within static caravans, touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.

“The Park is exceptionally well run and achieved the 2025 runner up award for Best Family Campsite South Wales. The Park has a range of modern purpose-built facilities including a heated swimming pool, laundrette, dedicated play area, games room and full amenity facilities.”

Covering the 1988 approval of removing two previous conditions connected to the site, granting permission for up to 50 caravans and occupancy of March 1 to January 9, it says: “It does not stipulate that the caravans must be removed from the site during the ‘close period’ as would be the case if the consent related to touring caravans,” adding: “It is therefore clear that the intentions of that planning application and the consent granted relates to the siting of up to 50 caravans and not specifically touring caravans.

“If that consent were to be partially restricted to touring, a touring condition would have been imposed and / or a condition requiring that the caravans must be removed from the site during a close period – it doesn’t.”

It concludes: “Whilst the park has been operated on the basis of providing both Static Caravan and Touring Caravan Pitches, [the 1988] Planning Approval clearly gives permission for any type of caravan which complies with the Legal Definition of a Caravan.

“That permission does not restrict the type of unit to either static or touring caravans and does not restrict the layout of the holiday park it is therefore concluded that [the 1988 permission] allows for the siting of any unit which complies with the legal definition of a caravan, and does not restrict the layout or location of the units.

“The applicant therefore seeks confirmation from the LPA to that effect via this Certificate of Lawful (proposed) Use application.”

The application will be considered by park planners at a later date.

Business

Pembrokeshire Lydstep Beach Village development refused

Published

3 days ago

May 7, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for an extra sign advertising a Pembrokeshire holiday park, adding to exiting unauthorised ones, which planners say would create “visual clutter and intrusion” and a distraction to drivers, has been refused.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, permission was sought, through Lakeside Signs Limited, for an additional sign advertising Haven’s Lydstep Beach Village, near Tenby, the sign proposed for North Lodge where the holiday park joins the main road.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s highways authority raised no concerns regarding the specific location of the sign, but said “there remains a broader concern regarding the cumulative impact of signage along this section of highway,” adding: “The increasing proliferation of signs in this location has the potential to create a visually cluttered environment, which may distract drivers and, in turn, give rise to road safety implications.”

A Park officer report recommending refusal said: “Currently, there are eight flagpoles, one A-frame banner type sign, one pole mounted panel sign, and a further panel sign, located behind the stone wall on the western side of the park’s entrance. None of these advertisements have the benefit of advertisement consent.”

It added: “The increasing number of signs in this location has the potential to create a distraction to drivers, which may result in road safety implications. In addition, the proliferation of signage would create clutter that would result in visual intrusion in this countryside location affecting amenity. As such, the recommendation is to refuse.”

It went on to say: “Whilst it is not deemed that the proposed advertisement would result in harm being caused to the specific special qualities of this area, there are concerns that the display of this advertisement would, along with the remainder of the advertisements, which are unauthorised, result in a proliferation of advertisements, which in turn would cause visual clutter and intrusion.

“This is especially problematic in a countryside location where development is strictly controlled. Should the existing signage be consolidated and rationalised, the Authority may support the proposed sign, however, currently, any additional signage would not be deemed appropriate.”

The application was refused on the grounds that it would, along with the exiting signage, “result in visual clutter and intrusion which would detract from the visual amenity of this countryside location, and would result in potential distraction to drivers, which in turn would rise to road safety implications”.

Business

The Cheesecake Guy store could be coming to Saundersfoot

Published

4 days ago

May 7, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

SAUNDERSFOOT’S Coal Building interpretation centre could soon host the third store for Welsh cheesecake business The Cheesecake Guy Ltd, in plans before the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Craig Taylor of Merthyr Tydfil-based The Cheesecake Guy Ltd seeks a change of use of part of Saundersfoot’s Cambrian Terrace Coal Building interpretation centre to create a small retail unit.

On its website, The Cheesecake Guy says of its business and products: “Established in 2019, The Cheesecake Guy is all about delivering indulgent, handcrafted cheesecake desserts with a twist. While we offer a range of sweet treats, our specialty — and customer favourite — is the signature cheesecake jar.

“Made with quality ingredients and packed with rich, creamy layers, our jars are the perfect dessert for any occasion. Whether you’re treating yourself or sharing with others, The Cheesecake Guy brings a spoonful of happiness to every bite.”

While no supporting statement has yet been published for the Saundersfoot proposal, the application says the scheme would employ two full-time members of staff, operating 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, and 10-5 on Sundays and bank holidays.

It says the proposed site is currently a mixed-use retail and gift shop, having previously been used as office space.

It adds: “This is a space within a building that is still trading, the space we are wanting a change of use was last used by Persimmon Homes as an office space.”

Of the scheme itself it says it will involve “retail sales of pre-prepared desserts and merchandise,” adding there will be “no on-site manufacturing or heavy processing,” with “equipment limited to display fridges and freezers”.

If approved, the Saundersfoot site would be the third outlet for The Cheesecake Guy, with sites in Merthyr, and, more recently, Newport Market.

After that store opened following redevelopment of Newport’s Victorian market, Craig Taylor, of The Cheesecake Guy, said: “We are very excited to be part of the new development in Newport Market alongside some other amazing small businesses.

“We feel this is definitely the next step in the right direction after our Merthyr Tydfil store taking off so well.”

For its Newport site, The Cheesecake Guy says: “We specialise in creating a wide variety of cheesecake desserts that cater to all tastes. Our menu features popular favourites that have won the hearts of many, alongside exciting new creations designed to keep your taste buds satisfied.

“Whether you’re a classic cheesecake lover or an adventurous foodie, we promise a cheesecake experience like no other. Each cheesecake is made with the utmost care, ensuring a rich, creamy texture and a burst of flavour in every slice (or jar!).”

The Saundersfoot proposal will be considered by park planners at a later date.