As many know, Hallam-ICS is a very forward-thinking company with a clear social mission. This mission is to improve the lives of its employee-owners and the communities in which they live and work. Their main goals are to provide a positive impact on children/families, animal welfare, environmental conservation, education for under-represented groups, and emergency aid. A big way Hallam tries to get people more involved is to offer an incentive to get employees’ feet in the door. Hallam offers eight hours of paid volunteer time per year to all its employees, even interns!

Using time to volunteer whether on or off the clock can help align personal goals with the company’s core values. In case you are not familiar with them, Hallam has eight core values. Here is a list of those values and a reason why volunteering aligns with them:

• Generosity: Using our time to help others, small or large gestures can go a long way, especially if we can find the time to help consistently even if it’s only 30 minutes or an hour at a time.
• Honesty: Be honest with others, sometimes the truth can hurt but a wakeup call can be necessary to make a change.
• Trust: A bond that can be formed between individuals or organizations through continued participation.
• Humility: Knowing that there are those less fortunate than us and taking the time to help them get back on their feet or keep their ship afloat.
• Respect: Everyone is human. We make mistakes and have feelings that doesn’t make anyone lesser than we are.
• Determination: Consistency is key here, aiding on a regular basis can result in big changes over time.
• Optimism: The hope that the small things we do can have a big positive impact on the lives of others.
• Love: Love for others and your community, better yourself by improving the communities that surround you.

Everyone knows that volunteering aids whichever cause it focuses on but what most people fail to realize is the benefits it provides to those volunteering. It can be good for mental and physical health. It has been proven that volunteering can combat depression by creating meaningful connections as well as producing feelings of happiness and self-confidence as a result of helping others. The physical aspects will depend on what you choose to do but many opportunities include some kind of manual labor which can help you to stay in shape.

Volunteering can also help to propel a career forward. Many successful individuals and organizations are involved in volunteer opportunities. Making connections and showing work ethics as well as good morals can be useful in future opportunities. Even if not in person, spreading the word about opportunities on sites like LinkedIn can help gather more volunteers as well as show others what is important to you.

One of the most important parts of volunteering is finding a meaningful opportunity that really resounds with you. If you choose an activity that has personal significance, you will be able to enjoy what you are doing and most likely make a bigger impact. Many people choose to help the communities in which they live and work or choose a personal topic that really relates to them. Both are great starting points to find a way to get involved. All it takes is a quick search and you can find dozens of ways to start helping as soon as you’re ready!

I decided to split my time up into several 2-hour slots with an organization called United Way. According to their website, they support 95% of U.S. communities and over 37 countries and territories, assisting over 48 million people every year. The United way of Southeastern Connecticut hosts a mobile food pantry 5 times a month in 5 different locations. One of their locations is in my hometown of Pawcatuck, Connecticut so I decided to give it a shot this summer. Several people I know were already a part of it and Hallam gave me the extra boost to give it a shot. Over several sessions this summer they’ve been able to provide meals to over 500 families in my home town!

Hallam provides a great opportunity to push their employees to get involved in the community. Volunteering can be great for your own personal well-being as well as helping those around you and making meaningful connections with people you wouldn’t normally cross paths with. Who knows, maybe you’ll get hooked on helping and find more even more opportunities. So next time you find yourself with some free time, go out and lend a hand and bring a friend or coworker too!

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm

About the Author

Cameron Rose is an electrical engineering intern in the Middletown, CT office. He works with electrical engineers, designers, and project managers in MEP  consulting and design. He is currently an Electrical Engineering student at the University of Connecticut.

About Hallam-ICS

Hallam-ICS is an engineering and automation company that designs MEP systems for facilities and plants, engineers control and automation solutions, and ensures safety and regulatory compliance through arc flash studies, commissioning, and validation. Our offices are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont and North Carolina and our projects take us world-wide.