managing a volunteer & temporary workforce
TRANSCRIPT
MANAGING A VOLUNTEER & TEMPORARY WORKFORCE
PATRICK HARRIS & NICHOLAS VINCENT
Your volunteers are your armed forces: you recruit them,
you provide basic training and you deploy them
to complete your mission.
WHY DO PEOPLE VOLUNTEER?
• To be a part of something they
believe in
• To get connected to community
• As a social outlet
• To make a difference
• To bolster their resumes
• What else?
WHAT A VOLUNTEER IS…
• An advocate for your organization
• Driven by your mission
• Crucial to the foundation of your organization
WHAT A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS LEGALLY
• Workers perform services typically associated
with volunteer work
• Services don’t displace any regular employees
• Volunteer works less than full time
• Services are truly voluntary, and not offered as a result
of any pressure or coercion. For example, employees
can’t be asked to “volunteer.”
WHAT A VOLUNTEER ISN’T...
• Free labor
• Nonessential
• Held to lower professional standards
WHAT ARE YOURBLUE SKY GOALS?
THRIVING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS USE THIS PROCESS
• Retain • Recruit • Recognize
RECRUIT
PREPARE• Evaluate, assess and prioritize needs
• Develop position descriptions
• Consider qualifications, expertise and time commitment
required
• Articulate benefits to volunteers
• Identify the skills and proficiencies required
• Formulate your training needs
• Develop questions to gain insight into volunteer’s
comfort and proficiency with technology
THE BIG ASK: “WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP US?”• Place Volunteer Button on
your website
• Use Patron Tags to manage lists
• Use email marketing to
communicate
RESOURCES• Online Resources
• Volunteer Match
• Idealist.org
• Community Resources
• College Career Centers
• Farmers Markets
• Other Events
• High Schools
• Ask Your Current Volunteers!
LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA• Facebook
• NextDoor
CHOOSING VOLUNTEERS• It’s okay to be picky
• Be specific about what
you’re looking for
• It’s okay to ask for short
term volunteers
RETAIN
TRAINING
• Be clear with information that
can be shared
• Empower legacy volunteers
the opportunities to train
(or mentor) new volunteers
• Offer small, ongoing training
opportunities
MANAGING VOLUNTEERS
• Do you have a volunteer coordinator?
• Keep track of time contributions
• Create Volunteer Handbook
• Make sure roles and expectations have
been clearly defined
• Don’t assume all volunteers are
active all the time
• Avoid burnout
STEPS FOR SUCCESS
• Keep lines of
communication open
• Share your own goals
• Lead by example
• Stay organized and energized!
DURING YOUR EVENT• Volunteer HQ
• Identify Volunteers
• Dress, name badge
• Be aware of H.A.L.T.
• Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
RECOGNIZE
THE IDEAL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE• Self empowering
• Motivating
• Generates excitement about
the next time
• Provides sense of community
AFTER THEY VOLUNTEER• Incentivize volunteers to come back
• Solicit feedback
• Ask your volunteers and your patrons!
• Letters of reference and certificates
• People use these on resumes
RECOGNIZE VOLUNTEERS PUBLICLY• Send out newsletters
• Volunteer spotlights
• Let your volunteers tell their story
• “Thank you” dinners
• Let their stories motivate others
• Make them feel like part of the family
RESPECT
• Respect their time
• Respect their role
• Respect their willingness
REMEMBER
THE VOLUNTEER CULTURE
• Make it fun for them!
• Give them a sense of pride
• Provide a collaborative environment
• Facilitate team building
• Create a community across all constituents
• Be thankful!
TEMPORARY WORKERS
TYPES• Skilled tradespeople
• Custodial
• Catering
• Security
• Camp staff
CAUTION AND TIPS• Understand the difference between
• Independent contractor
• Seasonal employee
• Learn your local, state and federal laws
• Support temporary workers
• Help them understand culture, mission, goals
• Help them be an extension of your organization
STEPS FOR SUCCESS
STEPS FOR SUCCESS
• Think of your volunteer program
as cyclical, not linear
• Recruit, Retain, Recognize, Repeat!
• Support everyone who supports you
• Help them understand culture, mission, goals
• Evaluate success and challenges
regularly and get input
RESOURCES
RESOURCES
• Free volunteer management websites
• www.signupgenius.com
• www.volunteersignup.org
• www.signmeup.com
• Free scheduling tools
• www.meetingwizard.com
• www.needtomeet.com
• www.calendly.com
• www.doodle.com
RESOURCES
• “The Seven Deadly Sins of Recruiting Volunteers,” by Thomas
W. McKee
• http://www.volunteerpower.com/articles/7sins.asp
• The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century
Volunteer
• http://www.volunteerpower.com/
RESOURCES
• Independent Contractor: Self-employed or Employee
• https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-
employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee
• Appreciating Volunteers
• http://www.forpurposelaw.com/appreciating-volunteers/
• Legal Issues Related to Volunteering
• http://www.ifrc.org/docs/IDRL/Volunteers/Legal%20issues%20related%
20to%20volunteering%20-
%20Toolkit%20for%20National%20Societies%20-%20En.pdf
