They are generally good-hearted people who help others, but it turns out they’re getting a huge benefit that non-volunteers don’t. From sorting books at a library to lending a hand at a shelter, even the smallest acts of kindness ripple outward. Your time doesn’t just change lives— it changes you.

When volunteering becomes a habit, it improves your health. 

Studies back this up. A 2020 Journal of Happiness Studies report, which surveyed nearly 70,000 people in the UK, found that those who volunteer regularly reported higher life satisfaction and better health than people who don’t. Volunteering boosts more than communities— it boosts your well-being. 

And the world is catching on. The global average volunteering participation rate recently climbed to 9.2%- a 57% increase from the previous year. That’s a powerful shift toward people showing up, stepping in, and making a difference.

Volunteering is good for your health. 

Yes, yes, and yes! Research shows that volunteering is linked to lower levels of depression and anxiety. It can help reduce stress, calm your nervous system, and give you a stronger sense of purpose. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that people who both worked and volunteered experienced better mental health and felt less overwhelmed in the daily work-life juggle. 

When you give your time and energy to something that matters, you don’t just help, you heal. Volunteering naturally brings a sense of purpose, and you don’t need a title, a trophy, or a trust fund to spark real change. All it takes is the willingness to show up. So whether your impact is big or small, consistent or occasional, remember this: it matters, and so do you.

In fact, volunteering can make your days feel longer… in the best way! A 2012 study in Psychological Science discovered that people who help others report feeling like they have more time, not less. That’s the paradox of giving: giving time gives you time; the more you offer, the more abundant your life feels. 

Volunteering creates a connection. 

In today’s digital age, we’re more connected than ever, but often lonelier than before. Volunteering offers something screens can’t: a real human connection. It’s a chance to meet new people, build a support network, and strengthen your communication skills.

People volunteer for all kinds of reasons: to stay active, explore new interests, to meet others, or simply give back to society. No matter the motivation, the outcome is the same: more resilient communities and deeper human bonds. 

Social Friday: Turning Lost Hours into a Global Force for Good

Fridays tend to be the least productive day of the week. So what if we reimagined those slow hours-not as time lost, but as time invested? 

Social Friday serves this mission: to turn Friday afternoons (that hold the power to spark change) into moments of purpose. This is a global movement that invites people and organizations to use their downtime for good, through meaningful, social, impactful, and accessible action. 

At its core, Social Friday is about rethinking how we spend our time, especially those quieter hours on Friday afternoons when productivity naturally dips. Instead of winding down the week with idleness, Social Friday encourages individuals and organizations to redirect that time toward meaningful community engagement. And what better way to do that than through volunteering?

Volunteering helps you grow, learn, and become part of something bigger than yourself. We can transform the end of the workweek into a time of purpose and connection. Rather than getting isolated, let’s come together to collaborate, create, and give back, turning otherwise unproductive hours into something purposeful and positive. 

Social Friday beats to the same rhythm as volunteering: connection, contribution, and community. By stepping outside our usual routines and into shared experiences, we build bridges—not just between people, but between ideas, skills, and causes. 

Let impact become a habit. 

Making an impact matters— even when it’s a small one. It’s those small actions that, multiplied by many, create lasting change. Volunteering is one of the most valuable gifts we can give, and Social Friday is here to help build stronger communities, boost employee morale, and foster a culture of social responsibility. It’s a win-win for individuals, teams, and society as a whole.

Volunteering doesn’t just make the world better, it makes you better. In fact, when volunteering becomes a habit, it improves our health. Looking for a natural boost for your mood and mindset? Join the movement. 

Helping others might just be the best thing you can do for yourself. 

Now that you know volunteering is good for your mental health, let’s commit to dedicating more time to ourselves, our communities,  the planet, and our well-being. 

Let’s reinvent Fridays TOGETHER!

Can you tell us more about yourself? Who is Marita?

I am a 35 year old mother of two who have been working with hundreds of companies over the years, considering I have focused on the start-up market and done multiple projects over time. I have my Bachelors degree in Marketing and Creative Writing and have supported start-ups for 15 years making sure that they reach their goals locally and internationally.

How did you first hear about Social Friday – and what did you think about this initiative?

I actually heard about Social Friday as a freelancer and got the gig of helping them grow a presence digitally. The main reason I applied for the gig was because I absolutely loved the idea and the initiative, and having worked with tech companies for more than a decade – I truly understood the need and the potential of Social Friday, and what it can provide companies across the board. I quickly saw the potential of how it would provide my clients a lot of benefits – social gatherings, something more than just your everyday work, and the social aspect of bringing your focus to local issues.

Can you share what your expectations were before attending the Social Friday event? What were you hoping to gain?

I was hoping to bring companies together for a common social cause. Social Friday gave me a new avenue to reach out to companies I could partner up with for multiple reasons. It also allowed me to provide my clients with an alternative to their everyday workload and to bring teams together for a social cause.

Walk us through your experience at the Social Friday event.

I started off by partnering a NGO team I was working with, with a another local NGO. We decided that a benefit to our local community would be to clean up a space in our town that had been left untouched by government and companies alike. We met for this cause, and I noticed that everyone involved also included their family members in this process. This was mainly possible because of the social cause. It was easy to organize and everyone involved went above and beyond to make it a success. The initiative itself caught the attention of local media which was beneficial for the companies involved, but also the cause we decided to support.

Social Friday events often emphasize networking and community building. How has this event impacted your social or professional life?

It allowed me to reach out to local companies which I would not necessarily be able to contact. It also lifted the companies in our community eyes, because we did something of value to the community itself. Now, a few years later, I am still in contact with everyone who was involved and we have created a bond beyond what would have been possible with a strict company partnership.

From a more global point of view, what do you think could Social Friday change for society?

I think it could make a huge difference globally because it allows you to focus on matters that is important to everyone, and not only on your company’s core values. It gives you a way to gather socially for a good cause, which is important for us as human beings. In my opinion there has never been an initiative that allows you to focus on all these aspects at the same time, and that’s why it is the perfect combination of smart business, network marketing, employee satisfaction and social awareness at the same time.

If you could challenge 3 companies, any companies from around the world, to implement Social Friday, who would you choose?

I would challenge the big companies. They already know the importance of employee satisfaction, but they should also be aware of their global footprint, and as they say “with great power comes great responsibility”. So I would challenge Ikea, Microsoft and oil companies across the globe.

But for 20 children, that’s exactly what happened as they learnt all about the history of electricty with North Macedonia’s largest employer.

Volunteers from EVN Macedonia guided the young people, who attend the Daily Children Centre (run by the Association for the Protection of Rights for the Child), through an interactive show at the company’s Matka exhibition centre.

EVN Volunteers is a scheme run by the company encouraging teams to give back to the communties around them and most recently they signed up to the Social Friday day of action, alongside a commitment to carry out regular events throughout the year.

The volunteering programme started in July 2017 as part of the company’s long-term social responsibilty strategy. So far, more than 50 events have taken place and more than 500 employees have got involved. EVN aims to raise awareness in its teams that everyone can make a difference with the unique skills they offer.

Small actions, carried out regularly, soon add up and make a difference. Will you join in us in making a difference in your community next year. The next Social Friday day of action is March 25th, 2022. You can find out more here.

The fear and worry that follows a diagnosis is coupled with a desire to be as close as possible to your child night and day. Facing a long stay in a hospital that isn’t close to the family home can throw up a host of logistical problems for families already facing the stress of having a sick child.

That’s where the Marketagent team came in. Based in Vienna, Austria, this brilliant company has firmly grasped hold of the Social Friday vision. Team members went into action for a second time on Friday, working alongside BONsurprise, a charity that supports the families of sick children by providing free accommodation near the Vienna General Hospital.

“The creation of these apartments together with the Marketagent team is the best example of how communities come together to help the most vulnerable in our society. As a charity, we welcome Social Friday activities that bring together businesses and charities for the good of the common good.”

– Andrea Salzmann, BONsurpise

The Marketagent team members helped to furnish an apartment, known as Penguin apartments, which are situated near treatment centres. They sourced and built furniture and simply created a cosy, homely atmosphere – a nest for another family going through one of the toughest periods of their lives.

“We were so honoured to take part in this particular activity and to make a real difference to the lives of families in this heart-breaking situation. Knowing that the work we did with BONsurprise will make lives easier is what makes Social Friday activities so very special. It’s a great way for our team to bond and the best way to spend a Friday afternoon.”

– Lisa Eberhardsteiner, Marketagent

This is the second Social Friday activity for the Marketagent team who had previously helped out on a homelessness initiative on the streets of Vienna in February. With every Social Friday activity, communities are being transformed, people are being cared for and we’re inching ever forwards to our goal of changing the world for the better.

We would like to send huge congratulations and high fives all round to the fabulous people at Marketagent.com, who have put themselves firmly on the map as the first company in Austria to carry out a Social Friday activity.

Marketagent.com employs 25 members of staff and besides Baden, Austria has also offices in Zurich and Maribor. It is one of Austria’s leading online research institutes and has carried out market and opinion research for almost 20 years.

We couldn’t be prouder of them and here’s why:

The team, from near the beautiful city of Vienna, put their heads together for the perfect Social Friday community engagement and decided to go out on the streets and spend valuable Friday afternoon on February 22 with the amazing initiative “Shades Tours” which employs homeless people as tourist guides.

“Working atmosphere and satisfaction are synchronized swimmers, they go hand in hand. All those who see the working climate as positive, are also much happier and there is where I believe Social Friday initiative succeeds. It does something for the team, a lot for the working climate and the community. When the climate is good, satisfaction is higher and productivity goes up.”

– Thomas Schwabl, Owner of Marketagent

For those unfamiliar with “Shades Tours,” it is a tour about poverty and homelessness around Vienna, guided by an affected person itself. Real stories from real people, all given the Social Friday platform to raise awareness on such a challenging society issue.

“A starting point to a social engagement is if you familiarize the employees with a topic, there is a lot to talk about; all of a sudden you get into a conversation with an employee on a completely different level.”

– Perrine Schober, Founder of Shades Tours

This generous act served to help those in need, but also united the Marketagent.com team with an important sense of purpose. And we are beyond happy the news about Social Friday is spreading across Austria as it is throughout the rest of the world, so if you’re looking to get on board, get in contact and see how your team will benefit from creating meaningful partnerships with the community around them.