Studies show volunteers ‘live longer’

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a dream come true for me when Do Good Volunteer -a volunteer services portal -was established a few years ago.

This portal helps to link up people like you and me who wish to volunteer but do not know how to get in touch with organisations that are in need of help and resources.

Thanks to the collaboration betweenour team at Leaderonomics and the team from The Star (newspaper), this extraordinary link-up has become a reality.

Why is this portal so important to us at Leaderonomics? We believe that volunteerism is key to transforming the nation. More than that, volunteerism is the “secret weapon” that is rarely utilised by individuals and corporations to improve their performance.

Most companies tend to tieup volunteerism with corporate social responsibility and, as such, leave the task to their human resource (HR) departments to handle.

Many corporate leaders view volunteerism as something that needs to be done “once in a while”.

As for the HR departments, they prefer to focus on “more important” matters like improving staff productivity and retention, and developing their talent, skills and capabilities.

Hence, volunteerism is often thrust aside, only to come up for consideration when free time is available. Many business leaders fail to realise that volunteerism enables their HR departments to reach their corporate goals. It is also a channel for businesses to realise their strategic goals. And, best of all, it is free.

Volunteering is good for the soul. Do you know that it can also enhance productivity in organisations? Study after study has shown that volunteers live longer and are less prone to falling sick compared to their peers who do not volunteer, regardless of their age.

According to research carried out by Mayo Clinic and the University of California in the United States, volunteering yielded a host of health benefits, including lower mortality rates.

Another study revealed that retirees aged 65 and above could reduce their risk of dying by half if they involved themselves in volunteerism, when compared to their more inactive peers.

“We found that volunteering has remained a powerful predictor of decreased mortality among retirees, even after extensive adjustment for various possible factors,” said one of the study’s authors.

Dr Gary Kennedy, a doctor who led another study carried out in San Francisco, confirmed that volunteers “live longer”.

That study showed that individuals with chronic pain who volunteered as peer counsellors found-improvements in their own heart disease, disability, chronic pain and depression.

A study carried out by Duke University found that individuals who engaged in volunteering activities after suffering a heart attack became less despondent and depressed -despondency and depression are two of the factors linked to mortality among coronary artery disease patients.

Just imagine the implications if HR departments decide to include volunteerism at the top of their organisations’ agenda - medical bills will decrease, staff will get healthier and fitter, the workforce will become more engaged, and employees will grow happier and more productive and enjoy longer life spans.

Stress and depression are commonplace in the workplace. Any cure for this? Of course, there is a cure and it is called volunteerism!

Volunteering can combat depression. When we are involved in a volunteering activity, our bodies produce a hormone called oxytocin, which counters stress hormones associated with depression, such as cortisol and adrenaline.

As social isolation is a key risk factor for people suffering from depression, volunteering provides them with the opportunity to socialise and even establish a strong support system that can cushion them against the impact of stress and depression during challenging times.

“People who are socially engaged will get to enjoy a better quality of life and are expected to live longer,” stressed Dr Kennedy.

Also, employees involved in volunteerism enjoy a higher sense of self-esteem than those who do not. Volunteering not only enhances self-worth but makes one feel more contented as well. Serving other people and the community gives one a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and also a sense of pride and self-identity. When you feel good about yourself, you will develop a positive outlook on life and improve your performance at work.

However, the biggest benefit to be gained from volunteerism has to be its proven ability to develop the volunteers’l eadership skills.

It is experience that moulds people into capable leaders. Several years ago, I led a volunteer group at General Electric and I observed how volunteerism helped many of the group members to develop their careers.

One of them was Sheela Chandra, who started her career as an administrative assistant and went on to become a regional leader.

Although initially, she was only a secretary, she organised volunteering activities and she learnt to influence people into supporting her causes. She also became adept at mobilising the office workforce.

During a volunteering activity in the United Kingdom, she was the one who managed and led all the people involved and gave them the instructions to follow. Her involvement in various volunteering projects gave her an opportunity to hone her leadership skills. She learnt to speak in public confidently and, at the same time, picked up communication and marketing skills, as well as the ability to influence others.

Her abilities were soon noticed and she was promoted to a more senior position in the organisation.

Volunteering can also help you to develop additional skills that you can use for the advancement of your career. HR managers should view volunteering as a great tool for leadership development for their organisations’ workforce.

The younger generation, in general, does not have much of an opportunity to build their leadership skills but they have ample scope to do so in volunteerism.

An interesting finding that has emerged from research is the fact that 90 percent of successful corporate leaders had done some form of community work in their youth.

Their involvement in such work has enabled them to sharpen up their leadership skills. Yet, many of these leaders appear to have forgotten that they can use the same means to develop the leadership qualities of their employees.

Why do organisations shy away from reaping the benefits of volunteerism on a larger scale? Part of the reason could be the perception that volunteerism is a time-consuming affair.

Studies have shown that in order to benefit from volunteering, a person only needs to invest about 100 hours a year on such activities. This translates intotwo to three hours a week. Just two to three hours a week and you get to enjoy higher productivity, live longer and savour higher self-esteem.

Volunteers are akin to the glue that holds a community together. Volunteering enables you and your organisation to get to know the community better and make it safer.

There is much to be gained if businesses regularly engaged their workforce in volunteering activities.

Research has also shown that where single men and women were concerned, volunteering increased their chances of meeting their life partners or soulmates. And, surprisingly, women place ahigh value on such altruism.

So, go right ahead and volunteer your services. It is easy. If you don’t know where to start, just log onto www.dogoodvolunteer.com and embark on your journey.

(This commentary is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect Bernama’s stand or views on the matter) - Bernama