Introduce volunteers, only if you need them. Also identify clearly how you will use them. If there are specific skills, get only those who meet the requirements. If it's a general category, anyone who volunteers is welcome. Also, volunteers have to work along with team members from within the organisation. At times the workload may be a little more difficult than normal. All of this must be explained and made known to the Volunteer.

Be careful to define volunteer jobs to include only those that are not time-sensitive or depend on a license or relationships. A teacher in early retirement volunteered to teach in an Early Childhood program. While her skills were great and kids loved her, she had several family crises and sudden absences. The absences were in a program that was time sensitive (the kids were present), other volunteers did not have teaching licenses, and young students did not respond well to unexpected substitutes. Of course, there may also be other job conditions where paid staff is better than volunteer. Create a list for your agency to sort the jobs.

Understanding the needs of your volunteer workforce, their motivation for volunteering, how they like to be recognised for their effort, communicating clearly and often about how their contribution helps the organisation achieve their goals. Our volunteers are at the very core of the success of our organisation and I enjoy sharing that message with them. Give them a strong voice and demonstrate with action that their voice matters with an action-based approach.

Encourage Collaboration: Promote teamwork and encourage volunteers to work together. This creates a supportive environment where they can learn from one another and share responsibilities. Recognize and Appreciate Efforts: Take the time to acknowledge the contributions of your volunteers. A simple thank-you or a more formal recognition can boost morale and encourage continued involvement. Solicit Feedback: After completing tasks, ask for feedback from volunteers about their experience. This can provide valuable insights for improving the delegation process in the future.

Before delegating, it's crucial to understand your organization's goals and key tasks to meet them. Identifying essential roles helps ensure volunteers contribute meaningfully and align with their skills. When volunteers see their work directly impacting success, engagement increases. By tailoring roles to individual strengths, you foster a sense of purpose, making volunteers feel valued and invested in the mission—ultimately driving better outcomes for your organization.

Recruitment is a pivotal aspect of effective delegation. Clearly outlining the skills and commitment needed for each role is essential in attracting capable and enthusiastic volunteers. As highlighted by Peter Cappelli in the Harvard Business Review article "The Role of Clarity in Recruitment," precise role descriptions and targeted interviews help assess a volunteer’s interests and expertise, ensuring a strong alignment between individual capabilities and organizational needs (Cappelli, 2019). This approach enhances both volunteer satisfaction and organizational efficiency.

For me, recruitrement process is very important. First, find someone who can fit (not perfectly) to the job. Train him on his missions and check how he managed them, start with basic missions and go harder. Incorpore him, you have to accept him and give him the excitation on coming back the next morning and the next morning again (just by taking a tea or a coffee can make the difference !). When the volunteer will feels good in the organisation, ask for his strengths and weaknesses and see what is looking for, getting better from his weaknesses or just want to help with his strengths. If the volunteer leaves the organisation, make him a nice goodbye so he'll keep a nice memorie of it and he'll tell people , how good it was to be a part of

When it comes to volunteers at fundraising events, skill matching is even more critical. Don’t ask someone who is shy to perform an outgoing job like selling raffle tickets. If your volunteers get to perform a job that they enjoy, not only will they keep coming back, they are more likely to engage with your organization in other ways.

Matching volunteers with tasks that align with their skills and interests is crucial for maximizing effectiveness. According to an article by Amy C. Edmondson in the Harvard Business Review titled "The Importance of Aligning Employee Skills with Organizational Needs," this alignment enhances both task performance and employee satisfaction. Understanding the intersection of organizational requirements and individual capabilities leads to more engaged and motivated volunteers, ultimately driving greater impact and success (Edmondson, 2018).

Make sure the tasks not only align with their skills & interest, they also need to be meaningful and contribute to the volunteer’s aspirations

Great article on the importance of clear communication when delegating tasks to volunteers! I've found that detailed instructions, clearly expected outcomes, and providing necessary background information are essential for effective delegation. As noted by Simon Sinek, "Leaders are not responsible for results. Leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results. " Ensuring that volunteers have a solid understanding of their tasks and feel supported is crucial. Being available for questions and guidance helps create a positive and productive environment. Looking forward to hearing more thoughts on this topic!

Clear understanding of the project and the expected goals must first be communicated to the volunteers. Watch the volunteers and the organisation using the volunteers must be clear about the desired outcome. That done, the next step is to convey the instructions clearly – what is to be done, how it is to be done, what are the timelines, other applicable features, if any.

Defining tasks with clarity ensures volunteers understand what is expected, how to deliver, and what constitutes success thereby minimizing misunderstandings and maximizing their productivity in the organization.

I let volunteers do their tasks on their own. Instead of controlling everything, I trust them to work independently but am always here if they need help.

Empowerment serves as a potent motivator for volunteers. By granting them autonomy in how they approach their tasks, you encourage them to take ownership and responsibility. Allowing volunteers to make decisions not only fosters innovation but also enhances their engagement and commitment. Striking a balance between oversight and freedom is key—offer guidance without resorting to micromanagement. This approach builds trust and respect, creating an environment where volunteers feel valued and motivated to contribute their best.

Whatever you are in a compagny or in association, with volunteers or employees, you must give them the opportunity to work well at the moment where you give them a task. You can't ask someone to do a thing a let him do it by himself. Even if he knows how to manage it, help him the first and maybe the second time. He'll feel confortable and you'll be sure that he is doing it the way you want.

Wednesday’s September 11, 2024 17:37 From: Dr. Richard Francis Viktor Hogan Re: Effective Delegation — Non-profit 🟰 Delegating tasks effectively in a non-profit organization can significantly enhance productivity and volunteer satisfaction. 💯 By following the following steps, you can create a positive and productive environment for your volunteers, ensuring that your non-profit organization runs smoothly and effectively. ➡️ Please refer to my “Post” to “Anyone” for each of the following descriptives. (1) Define Tasks Clearly: (2) Assign Tasks to the Right Person: (3) Provide Adequate Support: (4) Establish Deadlines: (5) Monitor Progress: (6) Communicate Regularly: (7) Recognize and Appreciate: -30-

This is important, this is the way you make them feel useful. I had the chance to be a volunteer on Paris's Marathon in april 2024. The older's asked us what we wanted to do and were we felt confortable : giving banana's to runner and encouraged them, or being in the backcourt and preparing water bottles and cutting cakes. After that, they gave us tips for the race and it was an incredible experiance for all of us

Meaningful Actions - 1.) be honest with your team and delineate Volunteers Role descriptions that are supplemental to your operations and those that supplant essential staff roles required for operations. Can this operation or service exist without a Volunteer? 2.) remember at the end of the day they are Volunteers, and every hour of (meaningful) work donated is the equivalent of donated dollars. They have donated their time, energy, talent, AND the fulfillment of your organization’s operation or service.