Holiday food drives, gift programs, and year-end events are about to bring in more volunteers than usual. Picture a new volunteer arriving for their first shift, ready to help. No one has been asked to show them what to do. A busy staff member makes up a task on the spot, and the volunteer spends most of the morning waiting.
That person gave you their time. Give them a job they can do well.
In my book, I suggest that managers think of themselves as “first assistant to” the people they manage. Your job is to help people understand what the organization is trying to do, then clear the way so they can do their part. That applies to volunteers as much as to paid staff.
Earlier this year I wrote about the job volunteers “hire” us to do. Volunteers come with their own reasons. A retired accountant may want to keep their skills sharp. A neighbor may want to work side by side with people from the community. Give the accountant a task that uses none of those skills, or leave the neighbor sorting cans alone in a back room, and neither one gets what they came for.
Getting a volunteer ready takes staff time, even when the volunteer’s time is free. Plan for it. That is part of doing the whole job.
Before you ask someone to take on a task, write down four things:
- What the task is.
- What a good result looks like.
- Where their responsibility stops.
- Whom they should ask for help.
Then give them the training the role needs. Even an experienced volunteer has to learn how your organization works.
Some people need you close by on the first shift. Others need a quick word and room to work. Match the assignment to the person’s skills and the time they can give. If a role needs more hours than someone can reliably offer, say so early. Clear limits help both of you make promises you can keep.
Check in after the first shift. Ask what was unclear and whether they had what they needed. Thank them for the specific work they did, and tell them how it helped. What they tell you will show you where your instructions need work.
It’s been said that a good leader wants to be highly thought of, while a great leader wants people to think highly of themselves. A volunteer who goes home knowing they did the job well is more likely to come back.
This week, pick one volunteer role you will fill this holiday season. Write down the task, the result you expect, the time it takes, and the person they can call for help. Then ask someone who has done the job whether you got it right.
Two questions to ask:
Would a new volunteer know when they had done this job well?
Have we set aside enough staff time to support the help we are asking for?
Send this to whoever coordinates volunteers in your organization, before the holiday rush. My free Applied Wisdom booklet has more on doing the whole job. It’s free, and it always will be.
P.S. My booklet, Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector, is now available in Spanish. Request a free digital copy and share it with Spanish-speaking colleagues.