As part of the process of thinking through whether to become a trustee, prospective candidates often ask, "Will my paid employer allow me to do this?" and "Will they give me time off to attend meetings?"
In our experience, the answer is almost always YES – employers are usually very supportive!
From an employer's perspective, there are huge benefits on both a personal and professional level for you to take a trusteeship. We find many organizations actively encourage and support you to seek out a trusteeship. It's a win-win! This article by Reach Volunteering explores the Career Benefits to Trusteeship.
Forearmed is forewarned. We do advise, however, before embarking on the application process, you check with your current employer. Firstly, to check there are no restrictions in your employment contract, and secondly, to ensure that they are either happy to support you in respect of the expected time commitment (either to allow you to attend meetings as part of your working day or to allow you to make up for time spent supporting your chosen charity). If you're successful, let them know Board meeting dates as soon as possible (they're easy to get hold of as normally scheduled well in advance).
Research has shown that "giving back/volunteering" is great for mental health. Supporting a charity gives a huge feeling of satisfaction to a person. An employee's good mental health is paramount to an employer for job effectiveness and preventing illness. It can also reinforce their internal brand, demonstrating to their wider workforce their commitment to this.
As with an individual basis, it feels good to "give back," so does it for an organization. Companies of all sizes are always looking at ways to contribute to their community or a specific cause as part of their corporate social responsibility. Let's face it, it gives them kudos and a good feeling too.
A Trusteeship is a fantastic way of developing someone's critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, as well as developing company strategies and team collaborative skills. An employer knows they'll benefit from these skills by the bucketload!
An employee who is networking with other professionals will automatically give a platform for their company PR; it supports a company's external brand.
Sitting around a table making business-critical decisions with other professionals will give valuable exposure to different views, business acumen, and problem-solving, which will be utilized daily. It can also flag up someone's strengths and weaknesses and allow them to identify areas for development.
Being able to negotiate, empathize, and listen will enrich anyone's day job as well as their personal life. Collaborating with people from different backgrounds/skills is vital for development. Being able to constructively challenge views of fellow trustees or those decisions made by the CEO and Senior Management Team takes practice and confidence. These softer communication skills are fundamental for any career path and promotion.
At TPP, we can talk you through your Trustee journey. We've worked with hundreds of charities throughout the years. We're experts in executive recruitment; it's what we do.
If you would like to discuss this further and find out how we can assist you in finding your first Trusteeship, please get in touch with Emma, Lisa, or Matt on 020 7198 6060 or email us at executive@tpp.co.uk.
