Cigna Research Links Volunteering to Health, Workplace Engagement Gains — The Cigna Group

Event summary

Cigna's 2026 Vitality in America report found volunteers report nearly twice the vitality scores of non-volunteers (76.7 vs. 68.4).
Employees participating in employer-supported volunteerism were 79% more likely to go above and beyond for their workplace.
Cigna launched a Return on Volunteerism tool measuring economic, health, and skills value of volunteerism.
Cigna employees contributed 114,000 volunteer hours in 2025, generating $7.1 million in economic value.

The big picture

Cigna's findings align with growing corporate focus on employee well-being and purpose-driven work. The research suggests volunteering could become a strategic tool for improving workplace engagement and productivity. With only 27% of employees currently having access to workplace volunteer opportunities, there's significant room for growth in this area.

What we're watching

Adoption Pace: Whether employers will expand volunteer programs given the demonstrated benefits.
Impact Measurement: How widely the Return on Volunteerism tool will be adopted by other organizations.
Workplace Culture: The extent to which volunteering becomes a standard employee benefit.