As A Benefit
- Carrie
- Jan 10
- 3 min read
My mother is really into quotes. She keeps a book full of meaningful ones. Maybe she should be the one with a blog instead of me.
She wrote one out on a piece of paper for me recently:
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
-Winston Churchill
It brought me back to a question that I’m frequently asked by young people thinking about their future, especially in the healthcare field. Their inquiry usually starts with something like, “I’d really enjoy getting involved in mission work, but…”
…But Doctors without Borders requires too much of a commitment. …But I’m not part of a church. …But I don’t have any contacts in the field. …But it seems to hard to find an “in.” Etc., etc.
I personally have been involved with a great organization focused on surgical missions in the Mayan regions of Guatemala called Health Talents International. How did I get involved? It’s true… I had an “in”. My friend, Barbara, is a nurse and had been working with this organization for years before she asked if I would want to join her in Guatemala.
I’ve been asked the “how do I get involved” question at conferences, by young people I mentor through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and others. Unfortunately, the answer of how I got involved only supports their frustrations. I had an “in”.
More and more young people today have a strong urge towards altruistic pursuits, so why does it seem increasingly difficult to get involved? In 2024, the American Red Cross published a white paper that noted how younger individuals perceive more benefits of volunteering than older individuals, and they include everything from combating loneliness to increased career opportunities.
Unfortunately, a recent volunteerism survey from DoSomething supported what I anecdotally noted above. While 76% of the young people they talked to were eager to make an altruistic difference, a huge portion said that they “don’t know where to begin.”
Some companies are stepping up and using these opportunities as a way to attract and retain employees. Locumtenens.com (LT) comes to mind as an example. Several months ago, I saw a group photo posted on LinkedIn from one of my friends at LT. She had just completed a women’s health mission trip abroad. After locating my friend in the image, my eyes were drawn to another individual. It was none other than a man who goes by “Dr. Kaz”. I did mission work with Dr. Kaz myself in Guatemala. What a small world!
I researched more about the missions that LT supports, both through a site that connects medical volunteers with sponsoring organizations and by providing opportunities to their own employees for participation. Although Dr. Kaz is an accomplished physician, my friend at LT has no medical training. Had her workplace not offered this opportunity, she may not have had the “in” that so many are seeking.
Could employers be doing more in this area? The benefits of altruistic endeavors are vast, but is employee retention one that’s being seriously considered? If young people are eager to serve but unsure where to find opportunities, isn’t it likely that they will feel more connected to a company that provides such opportunities?
Not every organization is financially able to sponsor global mission trips. An April 2025 SHRM article, however, suggests that efforts don’t have to be huge. Through surveys, SHRM found that the number of companies “offering paid time off for volunteering has incrementally ticked up over the past few years, reaching 28% in 2024. Additionally, 49% of companies surveyed said they offer community volunteer programs as a benefit.”
As a benefit.
Hmmm… I work in Human Resources and am very familiar with my organization’s benefits brochure. It goes into great detail about health insurance, life insurance, retirement savings, and PTO, but I’m not sure that volunteerism was considered for even the backmost page of the pamphlet.
I’m not sure I qualify as a “young person” anymore, and I’ve been blessed to have an “in” with mission work. But even I can’t deny the appeal of a company that sees altruistic opportunities as a benefit.
Comments