TL;DR
A 40-person New York Public Library (NYPL) IT team swapped screens for soil on Governors Island. Volunteering with Earth Matter NY, sharing tacos with skyline views, exploring contemporary art, and toasting wins at a beer garden.
The result? Real connection, refreshed energy, and a purpose-driven day that HR folks can actually measure against retention, morale, and productivity goals. (Yes, the research backs it up.)
What the Day Looked Like
Ferry Kickoff
Morning meet-up at South Street Ferry Terminal; short ride with skyline intros and a quick history walk on arrival.
Volunteering @ Earth Matter NY
Small-group rotations doing compost sifting, garden bed upkeep, and flower harvesting for natural dyes. Plus quick cameos from the resident goats and chickens (they’re part of the composting cycle!).
Flavor Break
Taco Vista lunch with harbor views (churros for the win)
Culture Break
A stop at LMCC’s Arts Center to see Hydrofesto, an installation series focused on water.
Wrap @ Little Eva’s Beer Garden
Final group hang while the team continued their own field day games
Goats!
'nuff said.
Why This Works for HR & CSR Leaders
1) Volunteering Drives Morale and Belonging
Deloitte’s national survey found that “creating a culture of volunteerism may boost morale, workplace atmosphere and brand perception.” Project Sunshine
It also reports that 89% of employees believe companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment. Project Sunshine
2) Purpose Links to Retention (Especially for Newer Hires)
Benevity’s Talent Retention Study shows “companies that empower their people to participate in purpose see 52% lower turnover among newer employees.” Benevity
3) Healthier, Less-Stressed People Show Up Better at Work
UnitedHealth’s research found “almost all volunteers note an improvement in mood (93%) and lower stress levels (79%).” Those outcomes connect to productivity and lower absenteeism. UnitedHealth Group
4) This Is a Competitive (and Still Underused) Benefit
SHRM highlights that only 49% of U.S. employers currently offer community volunteer programs as a benefit—meaning there’s room to differentiate your EVP and employer brand. SHRM
5) The Broader Business Case is Strong
CECP’s Giving in Numbers 2024 underscores that responsible, purpose-driven business “builds employee engagement” and strengthens brand trust; critical inputs to performance. Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose®
Outcomes We Saw with NYPL’s IT Team
Cross-functional bonding: Small, task-based rotations created low-pressure collaboration between folks who don’t normally work together.
Psychological reset: The natural setting + tangible, physical tasks helped the team “switch contexts,” returning to work feeling refreshed.
Shared purpose: Direct impact (compost that feeds the island’s gardens) connected daily work to bigger sustainability goals.
Inclusive by design: Tasks ranged from light gardening to sorting and sifting. Plenty of ways to participate without needing special skills.
Program Design: Built for Engagement (and Easy on Ops)
What Like A Local Tours handles (so your team doesn’t have to):
All logistics: ferry timing, route flow, volunteer project coordination, dietary notes, and timing buffers
On-site facilitation: multiple expert guides to keep groups moving, managing rotations and energy
Local partners: Earth Matter NY (impact), Taco Vista (lunch), LMCC Arts Center (culture), Little Eva’s (celebratory close)
Accessibility & safety: clear task options, hydration/snack planning, and weather contingencies
Measurement add-ons (optional): pre/post pulse survey templates, simple ROI snapshot (participation, hours, engagement indicators)
Suggested KPIs for HR/CSR Dashboards
Participation rate (overall and by tenure)
Volunteer hours (total + per person)
Belonging/morale pulse (2–3 question pre/post)
Manager observations (one-liner on collaboration / communication shifts)
Retention signals for newer employees (tie to purpose participation)
Customization Ideas for NYC Teams
Skills-based components to align with talent development goals. Skills-focused volunteering has strong L&D value. SHRM
Impact storytelling workshop: quick, guided session turning the day’s work into internal comms posts or short videos for your employer brand channels.
Theme tracks: sustainability, arts & culture, or community food systems. Each with curated partners and measurable impacts.
What Makes Governors Island a Perfect Corporate Canvas
Hover below for more…
Close to Manhattan
Yet feels like a green getaway (morale boost baked in).
Compact & Walkable
for easy group logistics.
Great Vendor Ecosystem
(food, culture, open-air spaces) that scales from 15 to 150+. Like A Local Tours
Ready to Bring Your Team?
We’ll tailor this NYC corporate team building experience to your culture, headcount, and impact goals. Whether you’re a startup squad or a 500-person department. Ask about spring/summer scheduling, skills-based add-ons, and multi-team rotations.
Let’s plan your Governors Island volunteer day.
