A win-win situation: Blood donation as part of your workday

Employees enjoy saving lives as part of their workday

You’re probably thinking that the number one win is the post-donation refreshments. After all, there were over 3 million pies and sausage rolls served up in 2024! But what else did employees say was a win for them when it came to donating blood?

Almost everyone agreed that there were three key motivating factors – it helps other people, it makes donors feel good about themselves, and the need for blood never goes away. In terms of donating during work hours, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood researcher Dr Kathleen Chell explains that:

“A lack of time is a common barrier to donation that we hear about in the donor research team. Our survey found that donating during work hours can make it more convenient for people to get to our donor centres.”

Employers get to build stronger teams

Our research found that donating blood as a team boosts workplace culture and morale. Our survey group said that blood donation in the workplace was a great way for their employer to demonstrate their values and make a positive impact on society.

Staying connected can be a challenge as our work patterns continue to change, but not for employees who donate blood. For them, it’s a great team-building activity. Some even choose to compete with their colleagues to see who can make the most donations. Kathleen says giving blood can help strengthen relationships:

“We found that people who mostly worked from home felt more connected to their colleagues if they donated as part of their workplace’s Lifeblood Team – a group donation program by Lifeblood. This is a great way for remote workers to stay engaged with their organisation without having to travel to the head office.”

Throughout the country, Lifeblood helps create organisation-based Lifeblood Teamsso employees can engage and donate together. It’s a great way to come together for a cause that matters and you can even check your team’s tally online to see how big of an impact you’re making.

I don’t know if I can donate through my workplace

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Our survey group said not knowing about ways to donate blood through their workplace was the biggest barrier that stopped them from doing so. Ask if your workplace offers paid leave or special time off. All four organisations in our survey do, but only half of their employees knew about it, so be sure to spread the word to your colleagues.

And employers, we’d love it if you could encourage more donations in your workplace and help us create life-saving teams.

This sounds great! How do I donate as part of a Lifeblood Team?

You can start a team or join an existing one. From workplaces to schools, sports to community groups, there are thousands of Lifeblood Teams. If you’re looking to join one, there’s probably already one out there that’s right for you, and joining is as easy as 1, 2 ,3.

1. Register an account (or log in) online

2. Go to ‘Teams’ and choose ‘My Teams’

3. Search for your team and hit ‘submit’. Your Lifeblood Champion will let you know when the next group donation is happening.

To start your very own Team, sign up online and add your contact details, and we’ll be in touch soon.

I’m ready to save lives

I want to learn more about Lifeblood Teams

If you’d like more information about this study, please contact Kathleen (kchell@redcrossblood.org.au)

We thank Professor Debbie Haski-Leventhal (Macquarie University), Professor Barbara Masser (University of Queensland; Lifeblood), and Dr Irit Alony (University of Wollongong) for their contributions to the project design and data analysis, and Ronny Maroun (Lifeblood) and Libby Buckle (Lifeblood) for their valuable insights and experience with Lifeblood’s National Key Accounts.