Without the hard work, dedication and effort of your volunteers, it would be impossible to make a difference in your service community. Recruiting, developing and retaining the right people for your volunteer program can also be expensive and time-consuming, so it’s important to inspire them and meet their needs to encourage them to remain engaged with your work, and continue to support it! The following ideas will help boost your volunteers’ connection to your cause, while ensuring all their needs are met.

Match Expectations and Skills to the Opportunity

While its true that many volunteers want to learn new skills when they give their time, others want to put existing skills into practice in new ways. Take the time to really get to know your team members and discover their talents and abilities. Make sure that you are pairing each member to duties and assignments that make the best use of their skills.

Prepare a formal job description to help clarify their expectations and always be upfront when discussing their position. Make sure that you go into detail about the type of work they will be doing, and the tasks and responsibilities that will come with the role. Offer training for development, where possible, so they can grow and try out new things in their position. The more that you can meet their needs, and are clear about what they can expect, the happier and more satisfied your volunteers will be.

Make Your Volunteers Feel Welcome

If your team members feel isolated, or unwelcome, they are less likely to continue to volunteer. As part of the onboarding process, introduce your volunteers to the members of your staff and board, as well as your director and other key figures. Encourage your team to reach out to new volunteers and offer advice and other assistance as they learn their way around your NFP. Give volunteers access to your contact directory and allow them to connect with other team members on social media.

These simple steps will help volunteers see your NFP as open, warm and friendly. This makes it easier for your volunteers to cooperate and collaborate with staff, increasing efficiency and effectiveness in your organisation, while improving overall morale and job satisfaction!

Variety Keeps Things Interesting!

Over time, doing the same thing, day in and day out, gets very boring. If your volunteers don’t feel that their work is meaningful, or it becomes too tedious and tiresome, they are less likely to continue giving their time to your organisation. Look for ways to shake things up in your team’s daily routines to keep things interesting.

Allow your volunteers to cross train and rotate departments so that they acquire expertise in more than one skill set, and, allow them to receive the variety that they crave. Partner with other nonprofits to share staff and volunteers with one another for special events.

Help Your Volunteers Understand Their Contribution to the Mission

It takes more than just giving to a good cause to feel good about your work. Volunteers are most inspired when they can directly see the impact made by their efforts. Help your volunteers genuinely realise how essential they are to your mission.

Provide opportunities for your volunteers to directly interact with clients and other beneficiaries of your projects and services. Increase transparency about your nonprofit’s activities, board decisions, and fundraising results, and use visual aids to demonstrate how each department  directly contributes to the bottom line.

Show Your Appreciation

Your volunteers are more likely to be happy with their contribution to your organisation when they feel that their work and effort is appreciated, so don’t forget to say thank you!

Partner with local businesses for discounts and perks to reward your volunteers for their dedication to your cause. Have a party, pick up their dry cleaning, or even send flowers and a lovely card to show your volunteers and staff that you care!

Offer Public Recognition

All of us like to be recognised when we do an outstanding job. Therefore, offer your volunteers public recognition for their commitment to your NFP. Hold a banquet to award your volunteers and present your team with plaques for their hard work and commitment. Do a shout out on your social media profiles, and conduct an in-depth interview with individual volunteers to share on your website.

Have your director write a personal letter noting their exemplary work performance. You could even ask your board to issue a public notice formally congratulating their efforts and service to your NFP and the community!