Managing Volunteers

The_One_Who

Does anyone have any general hints or tips with managing volunteers? It is a completely different environment and atmosphere than dealing with paid staff.

I have recently started working in a charity, and almost my entire staff is comprised of volunteers. They have all but been unmanaged for almost a year, and so have become rather used to doing things 'their way' and seem to think that they have been doing fine. Unfortunately, they haven't, and things are needing to change. This is where my problems lie.

Some of the volunteers are seemingly very resistant to change, especially since they have been doing things their own way for years now. I am fully expecting some of these volunteers to leave rather than change their ways, and I'm prepared for that. To be honest, I would rather that they did rather than bring morale down even further.

Is there any way that I can improve things, whilst not being seen to be the new tyrant on the block? I'd like to work together with them, as they are the primary work force, to get their views and perspectives, but I also need them to do what is necessary.

whitewing

What things need to change?

Could they help you draw up a volunteer code of conduct?

Little_Vics

yes - I'm a volunteer manager.

The BEST thing you can do is get in touch with your local Volunteering England branch - check out their website to find where it is.

I've been in a similar situation, and I brought in an external person to host some forums to let them air their views on the good, bad and ugly, and then worked with a selective handful of vols (the most vocal basically!) to pull together a handbook, role descriptions, application process, training programme etc etc. Some vols left, but I managed to bring in a heap of new and more professional ones - by nature of having a more professional 'service' for vols.

PM me if you want more details.

The_One_Who

whitewing wrote: »

What things need to change?

Could they help you draw up a volunteer code of conduct?

It's not so much conduct wise, but work wise. As in, I need them to do their jobs better. As for what needs to change, I don't want to give too much detail, but a lot: I need more commitment in terms of hours/days worked, I need to know if/when they are going to be off, I need them to do their work in a professional manner, and I need them to stop !!!!!ing about things that are past and move on to the future.

Little_Vics wrote: »

yes - I'm a volunteer manager.

The BEST thing you can do is get in touch with your local Volunteering England branch - check out their website to find where it is.

I've been in a similar situation, and I brought in an external person to host some forums to let them air their views on the good, bad and ugly, and then worked with a selective handful of vols (the most vocal basically!) to pull together a handbook, role descriptions, application process, training programme etc etc. Some vols left, but I managed to bring in a heap of new and more professional ones - by nature of having a more professional 'service' for vols.

PM me if you want more details.

Unfortunately, I don't think an external person is going to be an option. I have offered a forum for them to air their views, but they never take it! I have offered a personal one-to-one option, group options, even a note in a box! They'd rather continue to moan and gripe about things behind my back than come out and tell me what their problems are and what they want changed.

We have recently changed the recruitment process and have handbooks, training procedures, etc in place. The problem mainly lies with the older volunteers, the ones that have been there since the brickwork. They are entrenched in the old ways, and I have no idea how to get them to modernise. The sad thing is, most of them are brilliant at what they do, they just can't show it in terms of written reports, which is what is needed.

There is also a lot of bitterness and resentment towards paid staff. Recruitment is beyond my remit, and I have no control or influence over that, unfortunately. I just have to put up with them once their in! I'm hoping to change that, but it will take time - another thing the volunteers don't seem to appreciate.

Little_Vics

what do the Trustees think?

Funky_Bold_Ribena

The_One_Who wrote: »

It's not so much conduct wise, but work wise. As in, I need them to do their jobs better. As for what needs to change, I don't want to give too much detail, but a lot: I need more commitment in terms of hours/days worked, I need to know if/when they are going to be off, I need them to do their work in a professional manner, and I need them to stop !!!!!ing about things that are past and move on to the future.

Unfortunately, I don't think an external person is going to be an option. I have offered a forum for them to air their views, but they never take it! I have offered a personal one-to-one option, group options, even a note in a box! They'd rather continue to moan and gripe about things behind my back than come out and tell me what their problems are and what they want changed.

We have recently changed the recruitment process and have handbooks, training procedures, etc in place. The problem mainly lies with the older volunteers, the ones that have been there since the brickwork. They are entrenched in the old ways, and I have no idea how to get them to modernise. The sad thing is, most of them are brilliant at what they do, they just can't show it in terms of written reports, which is what is needed.

There is also a lot of bitterness and resentment towards paid staff. Recruitment is beyond my remit, and I have no control or influence over that, unfortunately. I just have to put up with them once their in! I'm hoping to change that, but it will take time - another thing the volunteers don't seem to appreciate.

I'm going to tackle these in order that you posted...

a - They are volunteering so this is not their job. You want someone to do a job, then pay them.
b - If they are volunteering then surely it's their time and they can be flexible about that. If you aren't happy about it then send them home when they show.
c - If they are going to be off...again this is not their job and so annual leave entitlement or sick reporting doesn't count - don't like it? Then pay them for the work they do.
d - Working in a professional manner - if they don't, send them home. But realistically, you can't hold volunteers to account as they don't work for you, they are volunteering their own time for the benefit of the charity.
e - Moaning and griping - that's what people do, volunteers or not. Want someone who you can discipline if too negative, then pay them and you can have control over their attitude.
f - Brilliant at what they do? Then pay them. If you can't then adapt yourself - and work around written reports...not everyone is a pen pusher and loads of people hate doing reports. Why would you do a written report if you aren't getting paid for it particularly if you don't like doing it?
g - Bitterness and resentment...that's because you are trying to manage them as if they are being paid - which they are not.

My advice, you need to rethink your attitude to this unpaid workforce and treat them with a bit of respect. Are you experienced in working with volunteers at all? It doesn't look like if from your posts.

Wicked_witch

I really feel for you. I was in the same position, except my staff were paid- it was a pre-school where they had been self managing since the previous manager left and unfortunately almost everything they'd put in place to make their own lives easier had to be undone as it was against ofsted rules (think strict schedules, same toys out each day, inappropriate dicipline etc). The committee that officially ran it didn't want anyone to leave because they didn't want to have to pay to advertise jobs, so I was basically left with no leverage and they knew it.

I'd like to give you some great advice, but I don't have any. The staff were very resentful of having someone younger put in over their heads and of all that implied about their own capabilities. If I praised them for the good things they did, I was 'sucking up' and weak, if I told them to do something differently I was an unreasonable dictator. I left after a year as it was completely untenable.

Interestingly, someone bought the concern outright after I left, but decided not to ask me anything about the staff and took them all on along with it. I assume she thought that if all the staff were saying I was horrible and incompetent it must be true. She already had experience in running nurseries, but had to close this one after a couple of years because the staff made her life so difficult.

So my advice, such as it is, is watch your back and make sure any problems are documented and have a very clear understanding with your own boss about how far you can go in terms of removing staff, as the higher ups may well not want people leaving either.

I think FBR is completely spot on about the volunteer aspects.

The_One_Who

Little_Vics wrote: »

what do the Trustees think?

They are backing up the managers. It comes down to the fact that the charity needs to improve its recorded workload, for auditing purposes. Recording the work we do is also beneficial when it comes to getting funding, but I appreciate that that is normally beyond the scope of the volunteers.

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

a - They are volunteering so this is not their job. You want someone to do a job, then pay them.
b - If they are volunteering then surely it's their time and they can be flexible about that. If you aren't happy about it then send them home when they show.

I fully understand that they are not being paid, but they also want to be there to do the work. If everyone turns up on a Monday then they wouldn't be able to do anything due to accommodation constraints and we wouldn't be able to open during the rest of the week. I am flexible, all I ask is that they try to commit to a regular day. If they want to change it then they can let me know.

d - Working in a professional manner - if they don't, send them home. But realistically, you can't hold volunteers to account as they don't work for you, they are volunteering their own time for the benefit of the charity.

It doesn't benefit the charity if they aren't doing what they are there to do though... I actually think that we can, and should, hold volunteers to account. We are developing policies and procedures to do this more formally, but again, the older volunteers aren't used to it. Is it just going to be a case of 'new broom sweeps clean', or is there a way to integrate this for everyone's benefit?

e - Moaning and griping - that's what people do, volunteers or not. Want someone who you can discipline if too negative, then pay them and you can have control over their attitude.

I don't want control over their attitude, I want them to be more open and constructive with it. If they moaned to me, and told me what they wanted to change then I could do stuff about it. Overhearing, or getting fourth hand accounts of issues isn't great, but when approached most people aren't too vocal.

f - Brilliant at what they do? Then pay them. If you can't then adapt yourself - and work around written reports...not everyone is a pen pusher and loads of people hate doing reports. Why would you do a written report if you aren't getting paid for it particularly if you don't like doing it?

We'd pay people if we could, but we can't. Writing reports is a part of the role, and they know that. I appreciate that IT skills are lacking in the office, and that not everyone likes to write reports. We are working on this, with extra IT training and possible ways to assist those who struggle with the written work.

My advice, you need to rethink your attitude to this unpaid workforce and treat them with a bit of respect.

With respect, I think you are taking my post the entirely wrong way. I am asking for advice with managing the volunteers, I am fully aware of the fact that they are not being paid and so the situation is different to normal, paid workers. Your attitude seems to be along the lines of "pay them", which we cannot do, or just let them run wild as they are giving up their time. We all have responsibilities, and we all want to work for the benefit of the charity.

I don't expect to come in and magically make everything better for everyone, nor do I want to come in and try to completely change the way things have been running. I want to work with everyone involved to figure out a way to reach our objectives together.

The_One_Who

Wicked_witch wrote: »

I'd like to give you some great advice, but I don't have any. The staff were very resentful of having someone younger put in over their heads and of all that implied about their own capabilities. If I praised them for the good things they did, I was 'sucking up' and weak, if I told them to do something differently I was an unreasonable dictator. I left after a year as it was completely untenable.

So my advice, such as it is, is watch your back and make sure any problems are documented and have a very clear understanding with your own boss about how far you can go in terms of removing staff, as the higher ups may well not want people leaving either.

Honestly, I think that is part of it. A younger person is coming in and wanting to change things, and they don't like it. I have no idea how to combat that attitude though, unfortunately.

The bosses are definitely aware of the current situations, so I have no concerns over that aspect.

I am somewhat similar to you in that without the volunteers the service won't run. But on the other side of the coin, if the reports and recording don't improve then there won't be a service either.

ohreally

The_One_Who wrote: »

I need more commitment in terms of hours/days worked, I need to know if/when they are going to be off, I need them to do their work in a professional manner, and I need them to stop !!!!!ing about things that are past and move on to the future

It sounds as though you want them to be employees and do what you tell them. It is not that kind of relationship.

whitewing

Have you got a regular volunteer who could help prepare the reports so that people just had to spend 20 minutes telling her what to write on it, and then signing a printed off version.