Ready to ramp up your company’s volunteer efforts? Iowa employers are invited to pre-register to participate in the Give Back Iowa Challenge to encourage their employees to volunteer and report their volunteer hours. Employers with the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee will be recognized with a visit from Gov. Terry Branstad or Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to their workplace. The six-week challenge, coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, will run from April 14 to May 31. Research has shown that volunteering not only has a significant impact on meeting community needs but also leads to improved employee engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction and employee retention, according to the commission.