What you should consider when you work with volunteers

Over the weekend, I was a volunteer at a function. To say the least, I didn’t have the best time. I have been a volunteer at other events where I’ve had fun and I would go back if there was another similar event. I believe that the stark contrast between these two experiences arises from the consideration taken by the organizers. Thus, from my personal experiences as a volunteer, here are a few points people who are looking for volunteers should consider, which might help promote both the experience of the volunteer and the organizer.

1. Know the motivation and enthusiasm of the volunteer. Did you ask a person to volunteer, or did the volunteer contact you first? A person who contacts you to request a volunteer opportunity has interest in the event. If so, they are more motivated to do well and to volunteer to the best of their abilities. If you ask a person to volunteer, they might just accept the volunteer opportunity for community service hours or maybe they are forced to do so. Thus, they are not as motivated and they might not work as hard.
2. Give all the information to your volunteer in a brief and succinct format. To avoid misinterpretations and miscommunication, make sure to list the duties of the volunteer so that he or she knows what to do at what time. I recommend not leaving unclear periods of time, or else the volunteer might not know what to do when they arrive at the event, thereby giving them a bad impression.
3. Make sure the person in charge of the volunteers are easy to find and can answer the volunteer’s questions. If there is a registration for volunteers, make sure the people taking care of the registration can answer the volunteer’s questions. The volunteer might get annoyed or bored if they cannot find out what to do, where to go, or how to obtain certain materials.
4. A full worker is a happy worker. Remember, volunteers are not getting paid. If they don’t need community service hours, they are not getting that many benefits. The least an organizer can do is to make sure that the volunteer is well-fed. People who are well-fed can concentrate on what they are doing and are more efficient. If a volunteer is hungry, make sure they get fed soon (do not make them wait for hours while their stomachs are grumbling).
5. Try to make sure the volunteer is happy. Is the volunteer able to interact with other people of the same age? Usually, people work better together if they are around the same age–they can talk, gossip, or chat with each other while they volunteer. If there is going to be no other person at the event that the volunteer can interact with, reconsider asking the person to volunteer. An unhappy volunteer might be better off not showing up to the event, than coming and finding the event a waste of time. If so, the volunteer can leave. If the volunteer leaves, this will become a waste of both the organizer’s and the volunteer’s time.
6. Remember that your volunteer is giving up time to volunteer. Time is becoming an increasingly big problem in this world. A volunteer is therefore giving up precious time to work at your event. Volunteers have a lot on their plates as well–make sure you consider that.

Usually, volunteers are more passionate about an event than the average person. Thus, I find the situation pretty bad if a volunteer actually opts out and quits. But I believe if an organizer makes sure the volunteers are provided for, then everyone will be happy and the event can turn into a win-win situation. Make these events into win-wins, not lose-loses!