I met a retired Toyota engineer who was an expert in the hydrogen fuel-cell technology that is now in the Toyota Mirai. When I met him, he was volunteering his time to keep Atsuta shrine clean and feeding the local roosters, something he does whenever he feels like getting out of the house.
What I have learned in Japan is that if people feel like there is a chance of doing a good job together, it becomes a pleasure (not a chore or an imposition or an exploitation) to contribute. I believe this is universal, but Japan happens to have touched the magic ring (for the time being).