What Volunteers Enjoy Most

I recently reviewed the regular volunteers at our organization, to find, among other things, what they enjoyed most about volunteering.  The question on the form was open ended, so volunteers were free to create their own responses.  Based on their answers, I created 10 Categories.  31 volunteers responded, and the chart below shows the results.




 As I stated in Volunteers Are People, the gathering of this type of information is completely useless...If it is not followed by action!  So, based on these results, I plan to do the following:

Helping Others

• Make sure volunteers have contact with the people that our organization serves
• Share stories of clients who's lives have been changed through our programs
• Post statistics that show how many people we have helped

Socialization

• Promote a culture where volunteers have fun while doing their work
• Introduce new volunteers to current volunteers
• Take an interest in volunteers

Sense of Accomplishment

• Assign volunteers to positions that match their interests and skills, but are also challenging.
• Notice when a volunteer goes above and beyond
• Create a "Featured Volunteer" column in the volunteer newsletter
• Give certificates or pins for years of service, numbers of hours, or number of clients served.

The best thing that you can do for your organization, and for your volunteers, is to be passionate about the work you do, and the about the people involved, and know that it is making a difference.  When you have this mindset, you can be sure volunteers will enjoy their work.  No matter what aspect the enjoy most.

"I Just Love Washing Your Dishes"

We have a married couple who volunteers at our organization and, while they are married, they do not live together.  They are both mentally disabled, and the husband's legal guardian would rather that he live by himself.  They started coming to our lunch program so that they could spend time together.  When the wife noticed that our dishwasher was frequently late, and often did not show up at all, she offered to help.  She loves washing dishes.  "I don't know what I would do if I couldn't come down here and wash your dishes,” she often says.  Her husband helps with cleaning up after the lunch program, and they both help to set up the tables beforehand.  This may seem like a small service, but it means the world to them.  Because of this, they have become great advocates for our programs.  They tell everyone they meet about their jobs here, and how they help people in need.  When our food pantry shelves were bare, they helped us to secure donation sites.  When we needed volunteers for our Thanksgiving community meal, they spent their days hanging fliers at local businesses.  They also bring along anyone they know that is in need of the services we provide.  They are willing to help with any task, and always do so joyfully, they haven’t been volunteering for quite 1 year, but I couldn't imagine our organization without them.  It is refreshing to see these mundane tasks done with such joy.  And I am so glad that they spend their precious time together here, serving others.

Volunteers are People

The world of volunteer management is a strange one.  It requires recruiting skilled individuals, training them in their position, providing development opportunities to increase their productivity and efficiency, and keeping them satisfied enough to keep coming back.  All without the benefit of monetary coercion.  So, where do we find these people?  How do we lure them in?  What is the best way to train and develop them?  and how do we keep them involved once they've started?

An issue arises, in answering these and other similar questions.  Volunteers are people.  There is no cookie cutter response.  Some solutions to these problems may be more successful than others, but each volunteer is unique.

Volunteers have different needs, different ambitions, different experiences.  Volunteers come from different cultures with different worldviews.  Volunteer management is about getting to know people on a personal level, remembering what you have learned, and applying it to your management strategy.

Ask

Don't be afraid to ask volunteers questions, many people will never tell you how they feel if you do not ask.  if you are not sure of the best way to train a volunteer, whether you should have them read the procedural manual, let them shadow another volunteer in the position, or let them experience it hands on, ask them!  Another way to obtain information is with a survey.  Just make sure the survey questions are meaningful and relevant, and that you plan on utilizing the information that you receive.

Listen

When asking volunteers questions, the most important thing you can do is listen!  Remove distractions and give them your undivided attention.  You may even want to grab a notebook and pen.  It is not very pleasant to have to answer the same question over and over because the person asking fails to listen.  It is also important to listen, even when you haven't asked a question.  Much valuable information can be obtained by taking the time to listen.

Respond

You've asked the right questions to get the information you need.  You've payed attention, listened, and taken notes.  If that is where you stop, it is an exercise in futility.  Responding with necessary changes is what will make you an effective volunteer manager, and will help to build rapport with volunteers.

Once volunteers get the idea that you value their thoughts and feedback, and that you have the authority and care enough to make changes on their behalf, you will be the first one they come to when there is an issue.