Volunteering and work-life balance

Volunteering - giving one’s time and effort freely to others - is a valuable strategy for enhancing the balance between paid employment and life and experiences outside work, as it is a psychosocial resource that can lead to improved well-being, one of the goals of work-life balance. An increasing number of workplaces have made volunteering part of their work-life balance initiatives, including giving employees time off to volunteer or organizing group volunteer endeavors. When considering volunteering as part of a work-life balance routine, individuals should consider what they are looking to get out of the volunteering relationship and choose their volunteering experiences accordingly. Volunteering can take different forms - it can be episodic and involve skills not associated with one’s paid work, as a possible break from the stress of one’s job. However, volunteering can also involve a regular and dedicated commitment over time, which, while valuable, can introduce a third role (e.g., employee, spouse/partner, volunteer) that must be balanced, thereby potentially complicating work-life balance. Like any other strategy to manage stress and balance work and life roles, volunteering should be chosen carefully to maximize the benefits.