IDS Study 836, December 2006

Secondments and volunteering

• Considers the HR implications of staff secondments and employee volunteering schemes
• Looks at how both options offer a useful way of developing staff competencies, while providing practical help to the community
• Features detailed case studies of secondment programmes and employee volunteering at five named organisations

Corporate social responsibility is moving up the agenda at most companies and, as a result, they are increasingly looking to conduct their business ethically and make a positive contribution to the communities in which they operate. Employee volunteering is seen as a way of ‘putting something back’ into the community, while employees gain from the development opportunities that such activities provide. Secondments, too, can boost the skills of staff and deliver value to both the host and the parent organisation.

This Study examines some of the key issues involved in organising and managing a secondment programme, such as defining the length of secondments, promoting employee involvement in the scheme and negotiating the secondment agreement, which makes clear who is responsible for paying the salary and other associated costs. In addition, it discusses the importance of maintaining contact with secondees and assisting their reintegration once the placement ends.

The Study also considers employee volunteering. Organisations are increasingly forming strategic partnerships with the voluntary sector and backing up financial support for charitable causes through the donation of their employees’ skills and know-how. For employee volunteering to work, however, requires careful consideration of key issues, such as whether community projects align with the company’s values, how to co-ordinate activities and what to do when an employee wants paid time off to volunteer.

This publication includes detailed case studies of secondments at the Pensions Regulator and the Department for International Development, together with a summary case study of a unique secondment arrangement that was introduced at BAE Systems. It also includes case studies of employee volunteering at: Zurich Financial Services, Guardian News and Media, and Clifford Chance.