Employers in Yorkshire & the Humber urged to back volunteering drive

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.

Spearheaded by Royal Voluntary Service, the 100 Million Hour Movement aims to double employee volunteering hours undertaken – from 50 million (1) to 100 million – by the end of 2028, delivering major benefits to workplaces and communities.

Research for the campaign (2) suggests a growing sense of malaise now characterises much of the workforce in Yorkshire & the Humber. Nearly half of workers (49%) in the region report their morale as ‘low’ or ‘neutral’ and 1 in 5 (20%) admit it’s worsened in the past year.

A combination of factors are affecting morale including workload pressures (24%), lack of recognition (23%), poor work–life balance (16%), cost cutting or salary freezes (25%) and a lack of purpose in work (13%). However, continued division and challenges in communities are also playing a part: 38% of workers in Yorkshire & the Humber say this has affected workplace culture or team relationships. Nationally, this feeling is more prevalent among younger workers – rising to 64% of 18–24s and 58% 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 (3) charities face amid rising demand for support.

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 employers across Yorkshire & the Humber to sign a pledge to grow participation in volunteering and join our movement to create positive lasting change across our workplaces and communities.”

Tim Campbell MBE, Entrepreneur and star of The Apprentice said: “Imagine the impact of 100 million volunteering hours! The collective power of organisations and their people showing up for communities across the UK. It’s an ambitious target, but it’s exactly the kind of ambition we need right now. Doubling employee volunteering isn’t just ‘nice to have’, it’s a practical way to strengthen workplaces, support wellbeing, and help communities thrive. Every organisation can be a force for good, and there’s never been a more important moment to lead from the front.”

To join the 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.

The 100 Million Hour Movement follows on from the recent launch of GoVo for Business, the UK’s only charity-backed employee volunteering platform. Providing access to thousands of flexible volunteering roles – 400 in every postcode – with causes of all sizes, GoVo for Business makes employee volunteering simple with tools to track impact and roles that fit around work commitments including curated team days. All commercial income from GoVo for Business is reinvested into the platform’s further development and RVS’s community services.

The 100 Million Hour Movement will run until the end of 2028. For more information or to pledge go to www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/100millionhours/