Celebrating volunteering week: how Attest gives back with 10% time
In this blog post, we'll explore Attest's '10% Time' volunteering initiative and look at the impact it has made.
5th Jun 2024
1. What inspired Attest to introduce the 10% Time initiative, and how does it align with the company's core values?
We wanted everyone in the Attest team to universally have the opportunity to give back. It’s open to everyone (you don’t have to, but it is open to all), and people use it in a vast variety of ways. 10% time aligns perfectly with our DEI strategy and our core value ‘Intentionally Inclusive’. Many of our employees support charities and causes that help under-represented and minority groups in their local community. 10% time has been part of Attest from day zero; our founder already had this principle personally, and wanted to make it possible for all as part of creating Attest.
2. Can you share some examples of the various causes Attesters have supported through their 10% Time?
Our team has supported a wide range of causes, from our CEO who works as a board member with REAch2 and Nesta, to employees who support their local PTA, Codeyourfuture, PANDAS Foundation (a charity supporting parents suffering from perinatal mental illness), memory walks, animal charities and those who regularly donate blood.
3. How has the 10% Time initiative impacted employee engagement and satisfaction at Attest?
We get amazing feedback about it - it is a really popular and loved benefit. 10% time is also a great opportunity to learn new skills and generate ideas that you can use both at work and in life!
Additionally, 10% time helps to support our teams wellbeing. We work hybrid which means that 3 days a week people work from home. This can sometimes be lonely - volunteering can be a great way of creating connections in your local community.
4. What challenges, if any, did Attest face when implementing the 10% Time program, and how were they overcome?
Initially there was some uncertainty about what 10% time could be used for. This was easily overcome by creating clarity (in the form of a Notion page, and some great case studies) about what 10% time was used for and what it wasn’t used for.
5. How does Attest measure the success and impact of the 10% Time initiative, both for the employees and the communities they serve?
We’re able to track the use of the benefit through our HRIS. If people are using it we are happy as it shows it is valued. We have purposely not set specific ‘targets’ for it as we want it to be a personal choice for people.
6. Can you tell us more about Attest's partnership with the Tech Talent Charter and how 10% Time has been used to support their mission?
Attest has been supporting the TTC since it was formed. It’s been an ongoing partnership for over 6 years, where Attest supports many aspects of data collection, hosting and analysis that’s crucial to creating change across the tech sector. We have these capabilities at Attest, and when TTC approached us, we were more than happy to offer! A succession of different people from Attest have used their 10% time to work with TTC over the years, often learning a lot along the way. Recently, some of our team used their 10% time to run a new piece of research about neurodiversity in the Tech Industry, which is a topic that we’re still learning too.
7. What advice would you give to other companies considering implementing a similar initiative to encourage employee volunteering and community engagement?
Ensure your leaders are bought in to the initiative and actively role-model and encourage people to use their time. Ask employees to share examples of what they have used 10% time, to help encourage others to join in (sharing ideas, demonstrating ‘how’, etc.). We have a slack channel called #10%-time, where employees share photos and stories, which is always full of joy.