If you want to keep minimal staffing needs then having volunteers can be a good option. This will allow your organization to focus on other primary areas of the project. In this article, we will discuss the strategies to make maximum out of your volunteers.Volunteers can easily indulge in socializing activities rather than performing the main task. On the other hand, if you engage your volunteers properly they will become a valuable asset for your nonprofit.
Here are the best strategies which you can use in your next volunteers programs and get maximum out of them.
1. Provide incentives
Rewarding and recognizing volunteers’ efforts can be a great motivational factor for them to be engaged in your organization’s mission.
You can set different KPI’s and reward the volunteers based on their performances.
2. Create leadership opportunities
Another way to engage volunteers is by delegating authority. Divide different tasks among the volunteers and let them lead. This will increase their motivation for work.
Simply assigning mediocre tasks will not help them to engage properly and they may indulge in other activities like socializing.
3. Communicate effectively
No one likes to get the emails that don’t apply to him. Normally people get a few emails from organizations they love. The same goes for the volunteers. They don’t like irrelevant emails.
The best way to communicate effectively and send only relevant emails is to ask the volunteers at the time of signing up that what kind of emails they would like to receive.
Also, you need to ask the location of volunteers in order to target only volunteers nearby the project location.
4. Focus on interests & skills
There are many reasons why people become volunteers. Some people want to socialize and make new friends while others do it for personal reasons.
The organizations normally do not know the reasons for the joining of volunteers. But it is really important for an organization to know the skills of the volunteers as you can engage them better by assigning them tasks based on their skill set.
5. Get social
Many people volunteer for socializing and many potential volunteers are out there just waiting to find a cause they can easily engage with. According to a study, 56% of supporters want to do more after reading a story on social media.
The best way to keep current volunteers engaged by sharing the results of their efforts on social media or posting updates keeps your nonprofit on their minds in an unobtrusive way. You can also use social media to recognize the efforts and work done by volunteers. This will definitely give them a boost.
6. Build teams
You can help your volunteers create memories by organizing teams. Once a team is created, the member will meet new people and be able to contribute a unique skill or perspective that will make any project or task more successful.
