Instituting a flexible work and volunteer policy can help you attract and retain top staff and volunteers. Shorter work weeks, flexible hours, job sharing and telecommuting are all appealing to both volunteers and employees.

In the new economy, employees expect to work using new technology, which allows for more at-home situations. 10-hour, 4-day weeks or 12-hour, 3-day weeks are becoming more common. And Gen Y workers prefer to integrate friends and family into their lives—including work, unlike their older counterparts who traditionally keep work and home life separate.

In fact, to attract Gen Y workers and volunteers, nonprofit executives should consider making flexibility a part of the organizational culture, because they expect it. Working remotely and at unusual hours is par for the course to this group.

Flexible workplaces see higher retention and lower turnover. Workers and volunteers who have more control over their work environment are more productive and happier, too. Those who work from home are more focused and dedicated to getting their work done.

For many of your employees and volunteers, this set up may be their only option, whether because of distance, child care duties, elder care duties or the need to care for loved ones with disabilities or illnesses.

Keep your employees’ and volunteers’ needs in mind when working up job descriptions and attendance policies. Ask what they need, and try to work with staff and volunteers to make new ideas succeed, and keep everyone productive and happy.

If you’re a volunteer manager, recruiting new help is often a constant task. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Today, there are more tools to get the word out about your organization and your volunteer needs than ever before.

Here are a few tips to attract new volunteers and energy to your non-profit:

1. Ask! More than 50% of people who volunteer say they did it because someone asked them to. Think about all the people you know, and all of their friends, co-workers and family members. Hold personal conversations with community leaders, board members and business partners; let them know you’re looking for volunteers. Ask them to spread the word.
2. Speaking of spreading the word, take full advantage of social media networks. You can reach many more people in your community (and beyond) through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Set up pages on each social network, and post frequently to increase your reach and create a community.
3. Some people might be hesitant to commit to a volunteer gig. Take away their fear by offering a “free preview.” This gives volunteers a chance to check out your organization, as well as giving you the opportunity to assess their skills and attributes, so you can determine to which jobs they’re best suited.
4. Visit community service organizations and business networking groups. They often invite local non-profit representatives to speak at their meetings. Use these opportunities to further spread the word about your cause, events and need for volunteers.
5. Partner with local businesses. Many would jump on the chance to provide volunteers for a specific event or start an ongoing employee volunteer program—but are just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. Business owners are busy people. Help them out by going to them.

Effective managers are often highly driven professionals. But to be successful at managing volunteers, they need additional qualities. Drive, plus great people skills, equals respect. And respected managers have happier volunteers who accomplish more.

When it comes to handling volunteers, there are several qualities that can help a manager excel. Some people have them, and some don’t. But that doesn’t mean that any professional who finds him or herself in the position of volunteer manager—or aspires to become one—can’t develop these traits as well.

1. Confidence tempered with humility: Having confidence is great. Confident people are aware of their capabilities and seem to be able to do most anything. But an overdose of self-confidence can lead to arrogance, unless it’s tempered with some good old-fashioned humility. Remember, nobody’s perfect—not even the most confident manager.
2. Owning mistakes: Taking responsibility should be learned at an early age, but not everyone gets it. People respect leaders who take responsibility for their own mistakes, as well as for the failures of the team.
3. Passion, plus compassion: It’s wonderful to have passion for your work or your organization’s mission. But don’t forget to remember why you’re there. Demonstrating compassion for those you serve and those who stand beside you serving will lead people to follow you anywhere.
4. Problem solving finesse: Great volunteer managers face problems, just like the rest of us. But rather than becoming negative, focusing on assigning blame or sticking their heads in the sand, they buck up and find resolutions. And the very best use their ability to think strategically to find long-lasting solutions, not just quick, temporary fixes.
5. Unwavering integrity: Doing what you’ll say you’ll do is the hallmark of a great leader. There is no substitute for it. Failing to do so will lead to a loss of respect faster than just about anything.

No matter where you are in your career, you can work on leadership traits that can help you get where you want to go, and earn the respect of everyone you work with along the way.

While every volunteer learns differently, there are similarities in how we all learn. The trick to effective training is to match teaching methods to how people learn.

We can remember things better when they’re attached to an experience, or when they are meaningful. So, making a training session matter to volunteers will help them retain the information. It also helps to make it experiential. Hands-on tasks, rather than just listening to someone talk, will typically result in better training.

We’re all bombarded with technology and more information than we can process. And we can only absorb so much, even if it is presented experientially. That’s why it’s important to limit the amount of information you give volunteer trainees at any time. Keep training sessions short, with frequent breaks and plenty of review time.

As time passes, we forget what we’ve learned—particularly if we don’t use it often. The more time passes, the less we can remember. Think about a recent seminar you’ve attended, webinar you’ve participated in or class you’ve taken. How much of what you learned have you retained? You can help prevent that “brain drain” in volunteers, by reinforcing training continually

When it comes to volunteer training, you can sum it all up by remembering to make lessons meaningful, keep training sessions short, and reinforcing training on a regular basis.

In Chicago-area suburbs, volunteers are now filling positions that used to be held by municipal employees. From painting buildings to installing computers, and even taking fingerprints at the police station, non-paid workers are helping out in ways that would have been unimaginable before the economic downturn.

In Jacksonville, Fla., more than 500 volunteers work in a variety of city government offices, while in Hampton, Va., staff positions are being filled by student volunteers. Across the country, communities are turning to volunteers to help make ends meet.

The solution offers benefits to the volunteers, too. They gain real-world experience, new skills, and work references to add to their resumes. And municipalities are able to continue providing much-needed services to their communities that would otherwise have been cut.

Volunteer workers are free, but that doesn’t mean they are fully qualified for the jobs they do. And they’re not always as committed to the job as paid workers are. There are no penalties for not performing, and little incentive to go the extra mile. A city clerk said that a volunteer, who worked nine to 12 hours a week answering the phone and filing records, was a huge asset, but didn’t want to stay long. “She got bored and went home,” he said.

A representative of a local public worker labor union warned that evidence doesn’t support volunteers as long-term solutions, saying they won’t likely maintain essential services over time. “It is very difficult to screen volunteers for competence and integrity, and even harder to ensure accountability,” he said. The labor union is also opposed to laying off workers and eliminating middle-class jobs.

Others find that volunteers often lack proper training, professionalism and reliability, which could lead to errors—and make cities and towns more vulnerable to lawsuits. To avoid that problem, some municipalities place volunteers only in non-sensitive roles, while fully screening volunteers for criminal records and credit history.

Still, volunteers working in libraries, police departments, mayors’ offices and other city and town service providers are a reflection of a new reality. Budget crunches have forced municipalities to cut workers, and citizens still need services.

The killing of a young African-American teen by a neighborhood watch volunteer is putting neighborhood watch groups in the spotlight. The tragedy in Sanford, Florida became front-page news across the country—even replacing the near-constant stream of coverage on the Republican presidential nomination race.

The homeowners association (HOA) of the neighborhood where the shooting took place—and where the father of the young victim, Trayvon Martin, lives—is facing questions. Was its volunteer watchman authorized to carry a gun on patrol? Did he have any training? And did he do enough to avoid the incident, much less its tragic ending? Is the homeowners association responsible for his actions?

Many HOAs carry liability insurance on their directors and officers of the board, but not always on the individual volunteers who carry out business on its behalf. The watchman, George Zimmerman, was the volunteer captain of the neighborhood watch.

According to legal experts, if the association knew Zimmerman regularly carried a weapon while on volunteer patrol, it could provide a basis for a lawsuit (Martin’s family has not yet sued the association).

Using professional security firms can help avoid these types of situations. And besides, if there are security and safety problems in the neighborhood, professionals are better equipped than untrained volunteers to handle them.

As increased foreclosures lead to lower income and reduced budgets, some homeowners associations are relying more on volunteers for services they once paid for. They may not realize the importance of running background checks on volunteers. Consulting with an insurance provider about additional coverage is a good idea, too. And finally, ask local law enforcement or an attorney before starting any sort of volunteer neighborhood patrol.

Whether you’ve been in volunteer management for decades, or are starting a new position, you are always in the position of needing to earn the respect of your volunteers.

Here are five ways to do it, no matter what type of personalities you come up against:

1. Present a professional appearance. Everyone judges a book by its cover—fair or not, it’s human nature. Put your best possible self forward by dressing well, having good manners and using appropriate language. If you need a refresher, take an etiquette course for business people.
2. Embrace constructive criticism. Nobody likes to be criticized, but most of us have room for improvement. When a volunteer makes a suggestion or even criticizes your actions, take a moment before you react. Hear what they’re saying, and turn it into a positive action.
3. Don’t be self-denigrating. Have some love and respect for yourself! Start by taking good care of your health. Get enough exercise and sleep. Avoid belittling comments about anyone, but especially yourself.
4. Do your job well. When volunteers see you are competent, your respect level will zoom. No matter what age or how many years of experience you have, you can establish yourself as the best at what you do. It may not happen overnight, but doing a good job is always worthy of respect.
5. Respect your volunteers. The old saying goes, “you get what you give.” And it’s true: if you don’t respect your volunteers, they will feel it, and will likely react in kind. It’s never too late to make a new effort, with every volunteer—new or old—even if your history with a particular person is less than pleasant.

Following these tips can help you establish yourself as a professional, competent and respectable volunteer leader. Your relationships, performance and effectiveness can be improved when you are well-respected by your volunteers.

It’s a common scenario: a board member from your non profit finishes his or her board service, but still wants to contribute to the organization. The next thing you know, you have a volunteer to manage who was once helping to manage you. This can create an uncomfortable dynamic, but it can be handled successfully.

There should be a balance between treating this new volunteer just as you do the rest of your team, and treating her with the high level of respect you’ve always shown. Hopefully, that’s the same level of respect your other volunteers are already seeing from you.

In most cases, having a former supervisor become a volunteer will work out well. But it doesn’t always go smoothly. Some former board members might feel like they need to keep managing you. Others will try to “improve” everything they get their hands on. Another might think she’s the boss, since she knows so much about the organization. She may not see other volunteers as her peers.

If you start seeing problems, or hearing about them from staff or other volunteers, you’ll need to step in. Instead of confronting the issue in your office, show the former board member your respect for her by inviting her to lunch,. Ask open-ended questions about how they’re enjoying their volunteer duties, and steer the conversation to the establishment of a few rules.

Remember how important it is for you to remain in charge. If one volunteer starts undermining your authority or treating others unfairly,  or you could see a decline in morale and increased turnover.

If you’re like most non profit organizations, you have all kinds of volunteers: enthusiastic and boisterous, or quietly committed. You have volunteers who are good at one thing and those who are good at many things. And you probably have some who don’t know their limits.

Before you lose valuable volunteers to burnout, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the signs of volunteer burnout—and how to prevent it.

1. Volunteers are not happy. Check in often to make sure your volunteers are still enjoying their work. Remember, they’re not getting paid, so satisfaction is important to keep volunteers engaged. If they’re not having fun, it may be time for a break.
2. Your volunteers are worried about getting their work done or missing deadlines. Pressure is not good for anyone. If your volunteers are stressed out about their workload, you could lose them fast. Find ways to spread out the work.
3. Your volunteers are irritable with fellow volunteers, or even worse—with clients. This is a sure sign of burnout, and it can have serious consequences. Any volunteer who is resentful of staff, clients and fellow volunteers to the point of becoming bad-tempered is in need of a talking to. Find out what’s bothering him or her, and offer a new position or leave of absence.
4. The laughter and positive atmosphere has disappeared. Listen to your volunteers as they work and interact with each other. Do you hear laughter and light conversation? Or do you hear snapping, heavy sighs or nothing at all?

Usually, the best volunteers, whose dedication and work ethic leads them to overdo it, are more susceptible to burnout. Keep the lines of communication open and check in often with all of your volunteers. Insist on a break for those who have been working too much or are starting to show signs of wear. And remember to show your appreciation often. Sometimes, a “thank you” is all a volunteer needs to hear to replenishment their motivation.

You’ve successfully recruited and brought on some new volunteers for your nonprofit organization. Before you put them right to work, take some time to bring them up to speed. They’ll be happier – and so will you. And they might even stick around longer, too.

No matter what position you put your new volunteer in, you can’t assume they know how to do the work you expect from them. Other new volunteers come into a non-profit with great enthusiasm and ideas, and anxious to do a good job. Without clear direction, they may start making improvements or changes without understanding the organization. Both of these situations can lead to conflict.

A better approach is to invest some time to help new volunteers get off to a good start. Allow them to get to know your organization, meet paid and volunteer staff, ask questions and shadow other workers to see how things are done. Encourage them to observe the culture.

• While you’re working with new volunteers, make sure they hear about the “unwritten rules.” If whoever takes the last cup of coffee is supposed to make another pot, be sure they know that. If everyone brings in snacks on board meeting day, pass that along, as well as rules covering perfume, parking, and other etiquette issues.
• Designate a mentor for each new volunteer—someone they can go to when they have question or problems. Between yourself and the mentor, demonstrate what success at your organization looks like, so the new volunteer knows has a clear picture to work toward.
• Let your new volunteers take their time becoming oriented and integrating into your non-profit. Schedule a weekly 10-minute meeting for the first month, to check in and make sure they feel comfortable.

Putting in some extra time up front with your volunteers will pay off in higher productivity, less turnover, better morale and easier volunteer recruiting.