Volunteers are critical to the success of any nonprofit. From helping to run events, advocate for the mission, and even help garner new supporters, volunteers play a pivotal role in creating impact. That’s why it’s important that nonprofits learn how to prevent volunteer burnout.
While finding volunteers is a task in itself, it’s important to retain volunteers in an effective and sustainable way. If volunteers feel under-appreciated or overworked, they likely won’t want to continue helping your organization.
So, how can you prevent volunteer burnout?
Give thanks
Showing gratitude to volunteers helps with retention. And while this seems obvious, most nonprofits either become too busy or over-worked themselves to remember that giving thanks requires regular effort.
For best results, we recommend thanking your volunteers both privately and publicly. Private thanks, like sending a personal email or text, breed connection. Public thanks, alternatively, is both beneficial for the volunteer-nonprofit relationship and acts as some great marketing material (think social media posts, blog posts, and more!).
Here are some more ways you can express gratitude to your volunteers:
- Spotlight them in your monthly or weekly newsletter
- Feature them on your website
- Showcase them in your annual report
- Honor them with a volunteer award
- Send them personalized letters or notes
Set expectations
Like any for-profit job, volunteering requires the same care and effort during the onboarding process and throughout the volunteer’s “employment.”
One of the best ways to prevent volunteer burnout is to set clear expectations. Doing so will allow volunteers to feel confident in their roles and supported by your organization.
Here are some ways you can set expectations for your volunteers:
- Provide detailed information about what their responsibilities will include
- Ensure a deep understanding of the cause and mission
- Outline and explain the time commitment
Ensure clear communication
Because volunteers are often donating copious amounts of time and effort to your organization, it’s important that they feel they can reach out to you with any questions or concerns.
Here are a few ways you can create and maintain open lines of communication:
- Designate one or several staff members as points of contact for volunteers
- Make sure volunteers have your contact information, which you check regularly (email, phone, etc.)
- Host onboarding calls for new volunteers or feedback calls for after events
- Create a Facebook page or forum dedicated to volunteer communication
Provide diverse volunteer opportunities
One of the best ways to combat volunteer burnout is to diversify volunteer opportunities. These commitments should range in time, responsibilities, and required skills. By doing so, you allow volunteers more freedom in their efforts and allow them to engage with your organization more effectively.
Here are a few ways you can diversify your volunteer opportunities:
- Provide volunteer opportunities that range in time commitment
- Allow for opportunities that range in responsibilities
- Create tasks that allow for unique skill-building