How to attract, retain and motivate enthusiastic volunteers

 
By Gary Krupa, CPA and Roger Wyer

Part I of a two-part article

Organizations know that volunteers won’t work for them indefinitely, just as employees won’t. The organization needs to continue to create the environment that originally attracted the volunteer to provide service. If moral declines, if the organization falters in its attempts to achieve its purpose, or if the volunteer simply perceives that the experience of working for the organization isn’t as rewarding as it was when he or she first joined the organization, the volunteer will leave. Volunteers can thus serve as a “barometer” for how well the organization succeeds in achieving its purpose. The quality and quantity of volunteers it attracts and how long the volunteers stay will depend upon:

• how stimulating the environment is
• the organization’s concern for the volunteers’ well-being
• how well-managed the organization is
• how meaningful the organization’s mission is
• how sincere the organization is about achieving its mission and
• whether or not the organization is achieving its mission.

Other factors will have an influence over the duration of a volunteer’s term of service, such as the volunteer’s need to either spend more time on their studies or pursue a paying job. These factors are beyond the organization’s control, so the volunteer’s supervisor should inquire about the volunteer’s plans and availability before giving the volunteer a long-term assignment.

For the above-stated reasons, it would be sound policy for the volunteer’s supervisor, Board member or other superior who works with the volunteer to meet with the volunteer periodically to determine the volunteer’s level of satisfaction. The superior can then take steps to address the volunteer’s concerns. If the volunteer feels that the organization isn’t making enough progress in realizing its mission, it may indicate a need for the organization to be more pro-active in achieving its goals.

Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is a very good example of an organization that has been successful in attracting enthusiastic volunteers. It’s a worldwide Christian non-profit organization that creates decent and affordable housing for those in need. Volunteers are drawn to help the organization accomplish its humanitarian mission.

Two local Habitats for Humanity have engaged my services to perform their annual financial audits. Both have a policy of using volunteers when possible. Debbi Grogan, the Executive Director of HFH of Northern Arizona, in Flagstaff, AZ, has made it exciting for volunteers to be involved with her organization. Her background as an event planner has proven invaluable in that regard. Even members of the Board of Directors have risen to the occasion and have undertaken some fund-raising tasks.

Yet Debbi has had difficulty finding qualified volunteer staff members to help with administration on an ongoing basis. Consequently she’s had to do clerical work, including filing and bookkeeping. I asked Debbi about that. She replied that if a volunteer has another priority, such as wanting to take a vacation, the volunteer is likely to take time off or leave. An employee would have to give adequate notice or comply with company policy if the employee wants to keep his or her job.

Debbi agreed with me, however, that volunteers may have a moral commitment or spiritual connection to the organization they serve. That would cause a volunteer to be at least as reliable as an employee. The lack of spiritual connection may explain why the officers of my Property Owners Association used to excuse themselves from service to the organization due to family or other personal concerns. HFH volunteers feel a spiritual connection to HFH due to its Christian mission.

Gary Krupa is a CPA in New York and Arizona, with more than twenty-five years experience providing accounting, tax, audit and computer services to small and medium-size organizations. He’s especially attentive to the needs of his clients. He moved to Rimrock, Arizona in late May 2008. He has offices in Rimrock and Peoria, AZ. His e-mail address is gkcpa@q.com and website URL is http://garykrupacpa.com.

 

Roger Wyer is a management consultant and grant writer who’s also on the Board of Directors of the Verde Food Council in Sedona, AZ. You’re likely to find him a seasoned and friendly business consultant with a passionate approach to his work. His specialty is non-profit organizations. His e-mail address is rog@BizWorksStudio.com. More information about his services may be found on his website at http://bizworksstudio.com.