Volunteers give their time and effort to a cause for several reasons, from a desire to make a difference to simply wanting to get out and make new friends or be exposed to new ideas, skills and experiences. Being able to harness your volunteers’ talents and make full use of their abilities for your nonprofit comes down to the quality of your leadership.

When your leadership is effective, you understand the unique contributions that each volunteer can make to your program, as well as their interests and motivations. You’re able to inspire your volunteers to give their best and keep them engaged with your nonprofit and its work. The following tips can help you improve your leadership of your volunteers and increase their impact.

Focus on Communication

Encourage open communication with your volunteers and take the time to get to know them as people. Show genuine interest and concern for their welfare and well-being and work on building mutual trust and respect. Building a real relationship with your volunteers enables you to learn their strengths and weaknesses so that you can connect them with opportunities to learn and grow while also increasing your ability to motivate them. Using your active listening allows you to ask probing questions to uncover potential problems and discover new solutions as well as enables you to diffuse potential conflicts. Organisations of all types are always on the lookout for new, improved ways of doing things, and many of the most innovative solutions come from the front lines. When volunteers come up with a new way of seeing a problem and approaching the answer, they are more likely to go to their managers and leaders with their ideas and concerns when they have a close relationship built on mutual trust and respect.

Clarify Roles, Responsibilities and Goals

Take the time to let your volunteers know what is expected of them in their new role. Provide them with a written copy of the duties and responsibilities associated with their specific function, along with copies of your formal policies and procedures and a list of their rights as your NFP’s volunteer. Designate a contact person that can help guide them in their new role, and that can help them “learn the ropes,” in their position. Invest in formal training and make sure that you are giving your volunteers all the resources that they need to perform their work well. Meet with volunteers frequently to listen to concerns, set goals, and offer feedback on a regular basis to help them improve their performance. Take the time to follow up with them about the work that they are doing, and how it impacts your organisation and the community that you serve. Help your volunteers understand just what is at stake and how vital their work is for your NFP achieve its mission.

Offer Recognition and Gratitude

As you focus on leading your volunteers, don’t forget to express your appreciation for all their hard work. Look for ways to publicly recognise your volunteers, such as with a shout out on your website or social media accounts. Express your thanks with a handwritten note, small gift or perk, such as a gift card to their favourite retailer, or host a celebration in their honour, such as an awards banquet or ball that shows just how much you value their dedication and effort on behalf of your nonprofit and its service recipients!