What if the best leadership training doesn’t happen at work?

Lesley Davidson is the president and chief executive officer at the YMCA of Greater Toronto

Not long ago, a corporate volunteer group joined us to do some maintenance work at YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre. They were there to contribute to the community and team build, but something else happened. Colleagues who rarely interact found common ground. Emerging leaders stepped forward. And people discovered strengths in one another that wouldn’t normally surface in a boardroom or virtual meeting.

While those outcomes may be surprising to some, it’s something we see regularly through corporate volunteerism.

We often think of volunteering as something organizations do to give back. That’s true. But it can also develop leaders, strengthen workplace culture and build the skills organizations increasingly need.

Statistics Canada data shows volunteer participation has decreased since 2018 as Canadians face growing pressures on their time, finances and personal responsibilities. Yet, the need for volunteers remains as important as ever.

For charities like the YMCA of Greater Toronto, volunteers are foundational to our work. They strengthen programs, improve community spaces and expand our impact through everything from group fitness classes to youth mentorship. But companies have just as much to gain. At a time when employers are searching for ways to strengthen engagement, connection and purpose among employees, volunteerism is a solution hiding in plain sight.

As artificial intelligence takes on more routine tasks, the skills that will differentiate great employees and leaders are becoming increasingly human: empathy, collaboration, communication and good judgment.

Those skills aren’t developed through PowerPoint presentations and online meetings alone. They are honed through hands-on experiences that give people opportunities to practice them in real-world situations.

When employees volunteer together, they step outside their typical roles and hierarchies. They collaborate in new environments, solve unfamiliar problems and connect around a meaningful, shared purpose. They may also have opportunities to lead in ways their day-to-day roles don’t allow.

At the Y, we’ve seen volunteer groups sow community gardens, enhance outdoor learning spaces, connect with newcomers and mentor young people. While every project creates value for the community, the impact on volunteers often extends well beyond the day itself.

Employees return to work with stronger relationships, new leadership experiences and a different understanding of their colleagues. The quiet team member becomes a natural project leader. The intern finds themselves contributing shoulder-to-shoulder with senior leaders. Volunteerism can reveal strengths that often go overlooked in the workplace.

Research consistently shows that people want to work for organizations with values that align with their own and where they can make a meaningful contribution. Volunteerism can help bridge the gap between the work employees do and the impact they want to have in their community.

That’s one reason the most successful volunteer programs aren’t simply one-off events. They become part of an organization’s culture – something employees value and look forward to.

Some companies even involve employees’ families, giving children the opportunity to see community leadership and civic engagement modelled firsthand and helping nurture the next generation of volunteers.

Volunteerism is not a replacement for strong leadership, competitive compensation or professional growth opportunities. But it offers something else employees value: purpose.

And the benefits flow both ways. Community organizations benefit from employee volunteerism, as do the organizations that encourage it.

As volunteer participation declines across Canada, businesses have an opportunity to play a larger role. Not because charities need saving, but because communities, employees and organizations all shine when people come together to contribute their time and talents.

Organizations need ways to build engagement, strengthen culture and develop future leaders. Giving employees opportunities to step outside their daily responsibilities and work alongside one another in service of something bigger can help do all three.

The group that volunteered at YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre arrived ready to lend a hand. They left having accomplished much more – for our charity and for their company.

Volunteerism isn’t just about strengthening communities. It’s a powerful way to strengthen organizations and the people who make them successful.

This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab.