It takes time to ensure volunteers are comfortable with their workloads. There are moments where you will mess up, but that’s OK. Many places have issues when it comes to preventing burnout. Help your team learn how to avoid volunteer burnout.
Reflect on Your Purpose
The most crucial reason you volunteer is because you believe in the purpose. Before bringing on a volunteer crew, they must know the workload and what to expect. There’s no way a volunteer can handle a task without knowing what to expect and why they’re doing it.
Let’s use donating to a veteran’s charity as an example. A veteran’s charity looks to empower prior servicemen and women by supplying them with essentials like clothing.
Get your volunteer team together and fill them in on the tasks they must do to fulfill your purpose. Since you’re contributing to a veteran’s charity, you’re likely doing a clothing drive, so tell your volunteers what they need to know before starting.
Lay Down Guidelines
When working on position descriptions, avoid writing about tasks that don’t pertain to the position. Things like “sorting cash donations” shouldn’t be in the description for a clothes sorting role. It’s important to explain things like the job length, the length of each workday, and a rough list of tasks the jobseeker will do.
When offering positions, make sure to let each volunteer know there’s a grace period to accept a job. Tell them that they should only take the job if their schedule fits. Also, make sure your guidelines are flexible, allowing things like different times to work and lunch hours.
Always Thank the Volunteers
Your workers need to know they’re appreciated and seen. Offer incentives like a pizza party at the end of the job term or a recognition event.
Consider throwing an awards gala at the end of the year. This way, you can acknowledge all your hardworking volunteers. Every time you show gratitude to your volunteers, it’s another way of letting them know you notice them.
Promote a Safe and Comfortable Environment
One of the biggest ways to fight off volunteer burnout is to create a friendly environment. Workers want to feel comfortable in and outside of work, even while volunteering. You can hire anyone you’d like, but the best way for others to feel safe and comfortable is by hiring the right people for the job.
It’s important to volunteer, but it’s more vital to build a welcoming team that feels safe and comfortable. The best way to be a more open and engaging volunteer squad is by developing better methods to fight volunteer burnout. Few obstacles in the non-profit space are more challenging than volunteer fatigue, so commit yourself to smart planning and learn how to avoid volunteer burnout.
