TSMC Charity Foundation Makes Volunteering More Sustainable with Adaptability Assessment System for Corporate Volunteers

Intent on becoming an uplifting force for society, the TSMC Charity Foundation works with over 11,000 volunteers across Taiwan for its four main charitable causes: Empower the Rural Community, Care for the Elderly, Promote Filial Piety, and Protect the Environment. Since July 2023, TSMC has instituted a volunteer time off policy whereby employees can take a day off for volunteer work. To support more colleagues in bringing their skills to bear through volunteering and thereby promote altruism as well as personal growth, the Foundation in September 2023 launched an adaptability assessment system for corporate volunteers that enables colleagues to test, evaluate and analyze the types of volunteer activities they may be suited for. In addition, the Foundation provides a comprehensive array of empowerment and training opportunities to boost their capacity for community participation. With over 500 colleagues signing up as soon as the system was launched, it is clear that colleagues look forward to joining hands to bring about changes for a better tomorrow.

Assessment Before Training: Assisting Colleagues in Discovering Suitable Volunteer Activities

From its first-hand experience of offering volunteer services over the long term, the Foundation has found that colleagues are likely to experience frustration—which in turn impacts their resolve to continue volunteering—when the persons receiving their services are strangers to them, or when colleagues lack the relevant knowledge and experience for the volunteer work they do. To help colleagues who show an interest in volunteering to stay passionate and grow to adapt, the Foundation works with experts from the government, industry, and academia to apply the concept of occupational competency derived from the field of human resources management. With this concept as a basis, the Foundation conducted a comprehensive study and analysis of adaptability through examining personality traits and value preference for the following three volunteer groups: care for the elderly, child and youth welfare, and environmental education. The results of the research led to the development of adaptability questionnaires that help colleagues explore their suitability for the various volunteer tasks for each group. The skill indicators corresponding to each type of volunteer group give directions on how to make improvements, and the Foundation provides training resources accordingly for self-empowerment and for fulfillment of one’s potential.

Since the launch of the adaptability assessment system for corporate volunteers, the Foundation has continued to optimize mechanisms for empowering and training volunteers. In addition to making rolling updates to the contents of essential subjects and specialized subjects, blended learning has also been introduced to design both online and in-person courses. Colleagues can choose to take either course, or both, according to their schedule and pace of learning, thereby empowering themselves.

The adaptability assessment system for corporate volunteers not only provides guidance for employees to join the volunteer team, but also encourages retired colleagues to explore themselves and continue contributing to society with their expertise, managing their next stage of life. The TSMC Charity Foundation aims to be a strong support for all volunteers. In addition to expanding the diversity of volunteer services, the Foundation also opens up its system to corporate partners who are interested in volunteer services, promoting a cycle of social good and working together to achieve a sustainable vision.