How To Keep Your Volunteers Happy, Helpful, and Eager to Return
By: Mary Devries
Tags: Giving, Management And Leadership, Volunteering, Self, Volunteer

Handling a volunteer team, large or small, is an important skill set. Some of the same skills used to manage employees transfer, but there are different dynamics at play you will need to keep in mind if you want to be as successful as Sue and Claire.

Learning how to effectively use volunteers can further the goals of any organization. Since few of you have had the privilege of serving under masters like Claire and Sue, let me share with you what I learned from them and how I put it into practice.

Understand Why People Volunteer

There is a wide array of reasons people volunteer. Some common motives are as follows:

to have something to do

to feel good about yourself

because you care about the goals of the organization or the project being undertaken

to assuage guilt

to look good to others

to fulfill a requirement (school, work, community organization, club)

enjoyment of the work itself

to interact with other people

out of a sense of obligation

access or goodies provided

Understanding the main reasons people are volunteering helps you manage them better.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” — Muhammad Ali

“Pay” Your Volunteers

No, that’s not an oxymoron. You aren’t giving your volunteers a salary but if they don’t feel rewarded in some way they aren’t going to be doing quality work or returning for another shift. Just as people choose to volunteer for a wide variety of reasons there’s a vast array of ways to reward them.

The best pay for most volunteers is providing meaningful work, within their skill set, with the necessary tools, and showering them with appreciation for their efforts. Secondary rewards include perks like snacks, access to an experience outside of the ordinary, and social interaction.

You will pay your volunteers by fulfilling at least one of their reasons for volunteering. Since different people volunteer for different reasons, aim to hit as many rewards as possible.

Here’s how Sue and Claire paid me. The first time I showed up for a PTA meeting I was met at the door by a volunteer.

“Red or white?” she asked, handing me a glass and getting ready to pour the appropriate wine. Already this PTA meeting was off to a great start.

The first task I signed up for was helping prepare for the annual jumble sale. I totally approved of the goal of raising money for the school by collecting useful neighborhood cast-offs and giving them another lease on life. I was met at the door with a list of tasks that needed to be done. I chose to sort clothing and a fellow volunteer quickly got me up to speed on how to do the job.

While my coworker and I chatted and sorted, Sue came by to see how things were going.

“Thank you so much for giving of your time. We raise over £1,000 with this sale each year. Plus we keep so many items out of the landfill and provide a real service to our families and our neighborhood. This year we hope to upgrade the playground with the proceeds. We can only do it with volunteers like you.”

“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” — Sherry Anderson

Provide Snacks or Other Perks

A small amount spent on snacks is money well spent. If you are organizing a neighborhood cleanup, a box of doughnuts or a bagel spread kicks the event off with a party mood. If money is very tight, consider asking people who can’t volunteer in person if they are able to provide some snacks.

Not all volunteering gigs are conducive to snacks. Small items like pens or pencils can also be a tangible way to not only reward your volunteer but also keep your name in front of them.

“If compassion was the motivating factor behind all of our decisions, would our world not be a completely different place?”— Sheryl Crow

The Needs of People Being Served Come First

There is a delicate balance between keeping your volunteers happy and meeting the goals of the actual work project. If your volunteers have any contact with the people being served, always prioritize the needs of the people being served over the needs of the volunteers.

Take for example a disaster relief project. If your crew is spending half their time taking selfies with children, not only are they not getting the job done, they are also potentially exploiting vulnerable people for the sake of social media likes.

Constantly remind your volunteers that all people have value and dignity and should be treated with respect.

“What should move us to action is human dignity: the inalienable dignity of the oppressed, but also the dignity of each of us. We lose dignity if we tolerate the intolerable.” — Dominique de Menil

Set Up the Workplace for Success

Walking away knowing their efforts made a difference is a key component in keeping volunteers happy and likely to return. The kiss of death for satisfaction and retention is wasting their time. Think ahead and have a wide variety of tasks that can be done by people at various skill levels.

Make sure you have the tools necessary for volunteers to get the job done. Even if you have asked them to arrive with their own paintbrushes, rake, garbage bags, or whatever, have a few on hand for the volunteers who didn’t read your emails carefully.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe

Don’t Say Yes to a Volunteer You Can’t Use

It’s OK to turn away volunteers you can’t put to work. If at all possible, do so before they turn up on site. A bored volunteer is rarely a happy volunteer. On the other hand, consider carefully what work can be done by unskilled labor and keep a list of tasks available to meet a wide variety of skill levels.

Don’t underestimate the work children can do with proper supervision. Families like to volunteer together and even small children can be surprisingly helpful under the right circumstances with parental guidance. If your worksite is not appropriate for children, however, don’t be afraid to turn people away.

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” — Herman Melville

Recruit Widely

Asking the same people or groups of people to volunteer every time a task needs doing risks burnout and stagnation. Think outside the box when it comes to recruitment.

When I wanted to triple the number of children we were able to serve in our summer program I knew I would need to triple the number of volunteers as well. Before I took on the role, almost all volunteers were stay-at-home moms whose children were participating in the program or trustworthy high schoolers.

My first step was creating a wide variety of volunteer positions at varying skill levels and time commitments.

Those who didn’t like working directly with children could work in the kitchen or as runners delivering supplies. Those with only a day to give could be plugged in as needed to add support. Middle schoolers could be responsible for shepherding a small group of 3–4 children as part of a large group supervised by an adult.

Those only available on the weekend provided set up and take down support. One woman spent 30 minutes each morning checking in children after dropping off her own child and before heading off to work.

If you are flexible with time and tasks, you can vastly increase the pool of people who are able to volunteer for you.

“Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.” — John F. Kennedy

Train, Retrain, and Check In Regularly

Provide training for even simple tasks. Nothing crushes volunteer morale faster than confusion over how to do a task or having someone come by later and criticize their work or even worse, have to redo it.

Training should be as brief and as thorough as possible. Cover the key details as quickly and clearly as you can and then get your team to work. Watch closely, especially in the beginning, so you can gently correct any mistakes. Continue checking in regularly to give support, encouragement, redirection, or additional training as necessary.

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” — Elizabeth Andrew

Deputize Your Top Volunteers

Volunteers are not created equal. In most situations, some of your volunteers will quickly distinguish themselves as being more skilled, natural leaders, hard workers, or some combination of all three. Size up the abilities of your group and put your best workers in leadership roles wherever appropriate.

Quality control can be an issue with volunteer labor and you cannot be in all places at all times. Once you have identified someone who does the task well, ask that person to teach the others.

“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” — Kofi Annan

Remember That They Aren’t Employees

When you are paying someone to do a job, it is easy to hand over a detailed job description, pay close attention the first few times they attempt a task, and then expect them to get on with it. This approach will work with some of your volunteers but others will need a bit more coddling.

Look for ways to enhance the volunteer experience while still fulfilling your primary mission. For example, volunteers might work faster if they are separated to prevent socialization, but if your volunteer’s primary motivation was to interact with others you will probably lose a volunteer in the process.

Think in terms of long-term gain rather than squeezing the most work out of each person every session. Always remember that you are building goodwill towards your organization as well. Many volunteers end up donating money as well as time.

“Volunteers donate to charity at twice the rate as non-volunteers. Nearly 80 percent of volunteers donated to charity, compared to 40 percent of non-volunteers.”— AmeriCorps

Graciously Accept Each “No” or “Yes”

We have all met the volunteer recruiter who causes people to duck into closets or suddenly remember an urgent task that needs doing elsewhere as soon as they see the recruiter coming. You don’t want to be the person who can’t take no for an answer and continually tries to guilt people into service.

Instead, remember that you are not just lining up workers for a task. You are offering people a chance to make a difference with their time. Often you will receive a “no” with a reason. Is the reason an obstacle you can help your potential volunteer overcome or are they being polite and making excuses?

It’s OK to push back gently against excuses. The best way to do this is in the volunteer pitch itself. Consider possible obstacles to service and have a way to solve them such as flexible times and tasks. But also allow people to say no with dignity. You want willing and eager volunteers. Not people who feel press-ganged into service.

Instead, remember that you are not just lining up workers for a task. You are offering people a chance to make a difference with their time.

Selfies and Other Photos: Yes or No?

Most volunteers these days want photos for social media. Think of ways you can meet this need without compromising your safety and principles. Be very clear with your volunteers about what is and isn’t acceptable.

If you need to have a no photos while working policy due to safety or privacy concerns, consider offering group photos at the beginning or end of the work session. Another option is to have a staff person or a volunteer taking pictures which are made available to the group later.

If your policy is no photos, give your reason:

“Unfortunately, I’m going to have to ask you not to take photos working on food prep or service as it is against hygiene and safety regulations.”

“Please don’t take any pictures of or with the clients. We need to respect their privacy and dignity.”

“Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have.” — Jim Rohn

Reasons Volunteers Quit or Don’t Return

Volunteers who return for another shift are the best. They are already trained, know exactly what they signed up for, are totally on board, and represent one less new person you need to recruit. So what are the key reasons people don’t continue to volunteer?

don’t have time anymore

found the assignment boring or distasteful

nobody asked them to return

felt like their time was wasted

the job was outside of their skill or comfort zone

didn’t feel appreciated

aren’t sure the job is worth doing

goals of the task or organization were unclear

their skills weren’t well utilized

felt taken advantage of

Be Like Sue and Claire

What made Sue and Claire so effective as volunteer leaders? They went out of their way to make each volunteer feel appreciated. We always knew exactly what needed doing, we were given choices on which tasks to undertake and the appropriate skills and tools for the job. Communication was plentiful, concise, and complete.

Our opinions and input were listened to and valued. We knew how each project served to meet the greater goals of the school. There was plenty of time for socializing and bonding with each other as we worked. When we arrived, we were able to dive right in and get to work making a difference.

Whether you are a volunteer yourself recruiting one or two people to get a job done or a paid person trying to pull off a massive or ongoing program, pay attention to the principles above and you will be able to accomplish great things together.