The Ease of Working with Volunteers
Heyman (2011) states, “The very concept of retirement is about to undergo a radical transformation.” Referring to the change in the demographic make-up of volunteer forces, not-for-profits have a great opportunity to capitalize on the large amount of people who are leaving the workforce, either through retirement or financial ability, and looking for their chance to give back and make the world a better place. Particularly as the Baby Boomer generations age, more and more people are shifting from merely making a living, to making a life worth living. They want to do what they envisioned in their youth, change the world, and as Baldwin (as cited by Heyman), outlines, there are key motivator, such as the desire to help others, to be involved in their community, and to contribute to something larger than themselves which organizations can target in order to compel a potential volunteer to join their cause.
Once the volunteer is so compelled, or enticed to join up, it is the responsibility of the leader to excite, equip, empower, and encourage the volunteers for the task at hand. Exciting volunteers has everything to do with motivation. It is up to the leader to know their people, and know what will call them to action. This can be a variety of things, but the most important motivator comes from the common mission. People really do want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and to be a part of a winning team, so I constantly remind people why we do what we do.
Next, leaders must equip the team. No one wants to be thrown into a situation without the proper training and resources necessary to do the job, so an orientation and training program, even if done on-the-job, must be put into place that properly equips the team to carry out the mission. Similarly, empowering the team to represent the organization and make on-the-ground decisions is a critical part of managing and retaining valuable volunteers. If they feel that they don’t have the support of the one in charge, or that their efforts will be circumvented by the organization for which they are volunteering, they will eventually stop making the effort, so it is vital that once properly trained, volunteers are empowered.
Finally, they must also be encouraged. Nunn (as cited by Heyman, 2011) stresses the importance of recognizing the efforts of the volunteer team and celebrating the progress made. Leaders must remember that everyone wants to feel that they are appreciated, and this is a must-do in order to hold onto their team members. I do everything I can to say thanks in a wide variety of ways, usually having to do with food! One final “e” is to be continually evaluating the work done, so that everyone involved, particularly the volunteers, are able to see progress made. No one want to waste their time, talent, or treasure, so make sure to evaluate effectiveness and make adjustments along the way. When you do, you’ll be able to continue to enlist new and returning volunteers in your excellent enterprise.
Lead well.