Cisco CEO John Chambers believes giving back is not only the right thing to do, but good for business, too. The entire management team believes Corporate Social Responsibility is the foundation for their business—and it shows in how they treat their employees, the environment, their customers, and their communities. Cisco really makes a difference through their employee volunteer program, called Cisco Citizens.

During fiscal year 2007, Cisco employees volunteered over 168,000 hours in their communities and around the world. From one-day team building projects to long-term initiatives, Cisco Citizens are busy volunteers! Many projects are researched and planned by their Civic Councils, teams of employee leaders who are passionate about giving back to their communities. The Civic Councils also develop partnerships with nonprofits, coordinate product donations, and facilitate grants.

Cisco’s Volunteer Connection Tool is a matching system that brings employees and volunteer opportunities together. This powerful tool matches employee skills with nonprofit organization (NPO) needs. NPOs can register online and request Cisco volunteers for specific projects, jobs, or even mentorships. It also allows volunteer coordinators to recruit, track, manage and communicate with their volunteers from Cisco quickly and efficiently.

The Cisco Foundation matches employees’ time donations with cash contributions to qualifying NPOs. The Foundation encourages all Cisco employees to volunteer at least one day a year to qualified charities in a company-wide effort to strengthen employees’ ties to their communities.

In other displays of Corporate Social Responsibility, Cisco supports boardnetUSA, a website that helps link interested community leaders with nonprofits that need board members, and holds an annual Holiday Global Hunger Relief Drive. These two programs educate Cisco employees about issues in their communities and around the world, and show them how they can make a difference—all with the staunch support of their employer.

As Cisco demonstrates, corporate volunteer programs are good for the communities they serve and for business, too. Customer good will, employee loyalty, and positive press coverage is priceless for any size company.

Volunteers can lighten the load on your Non Profit Organization (NPO).  If your organization has been forced to lay off staff, you may need to start a new volunteer program—or ramp up the one you have.  Volunteers can be a solid foundation to help your NPO survive the current economic downturn.

Why are Volunteer Coordinators Needed?

Too many NPOs are short on personnel, with individuals taking on more work than they can handle. Volunteer coordinators fulfill an important role by easing the demands on staff, helping the organization save money, and increasing community awareness. If possible, it’s best that the volunteer coordinator position is not combined with any other job title. If the coordinator is spread too thinly, the entire volunteer system can collapse. 

Planning for Success

Patience and good communication skills will go a long way toward succeeding at the volunteer coordinator’s job. First, they must know the needs of the organization and staff.  It won’t do any good to create a receptionist position when a driver would be much more useful to the staff. Interviewing staff members is a great way to determine where the holes are, what work is piling up, and where they need the most help.  Be sure to clarify which jobs and tasks will remain with staff, and which will be performed by volunteers, so that everyone understands their roles.

Communicate Expectations

Every volunteer’s job should be an imperative part of the organization, with specific tasks and responsibilities.  Give them a job description to follow. Determine whether it is a short- or long-term (lasting at least a year) position, so the volunteer knows what to expect. Check in and find out if they are enjoying the work; if not, help them transfer to a position they’re suited for.

What Do Volunteers Need?

First, all of your volunteers should know the purpose and mission of the organization. Share the goals the board has established. A volunteer may be the first and only contact a potential client or donor has with your agency, so it is vital that they know how to communicate this information clearly. Plus, they will feel empowered to properly perform their job and help the organization meet its goals. Volunteers want to feel useful! Give your volunteers complete attention, and keep the lines of communication open. Let them know their importance to the NPO, and how their work benefits everyone. Be available for questions and be extra patient for the first few months, as everyone learns their new roles.

Recognition is important, too. The entire staff should make volunteers feel welcome and supported.  Occasional treats, small gifts, and special acknowledgement for a job well done can go a long way to keeping your volunteers interested and engaged in the organization’s ongoing mission.

Taking on volunteers is a big step for a non profit. Planning well makes it easier and more effective for everyone.

Keep It Professional

Potential volunteers may be knocking on your door in larger numbers than you expect. Volunteerism is on the rise, not only because the spirit of giving back in the US is strong, but because the economy is weak. Whether they want give back to their community or remove gaps in their resume, how do you handle an increase in volunteers?

If you’re in the position where you have more potential volunteers than you have work for, then you’ll need to screen prospective volunteers carefully to ensure you make a good match. Here are a few tips when considering volunteer candidates.

Treat the Process Like a Job Interview
Because it is! Your organization has work to do; whether it is handled by paid or volunteer workers, it must be done properly and efficiently. So review the prospective volunteer’s credentials and experience. Ask the tough questions, like:

What is your interest in our organization?
What do you hope to accomplish here?
What do you hope to get out of the experience?

Fit the Volunteer With the Right Position
Here’s where the process differs from a job interview. Your volunteers don’t always apply for a specific position—many will offer to do whatever needs to be done.  Don’t take the easy route and have Mary, a laid-off computer programmer, start revamping the donor database. And Jason, the college student, might not be the best choice for repainting the restrooms.  Drill down a bit to find out not only what they would be good at, but what they want to do. Perhaps Mary needs a break, and would much rather drive elderly clients to the Senior Center. Jason might rather be outside cutting grass and edging sidewalks than inside with a paintbrush. Try these questions:

What gives you the greatest satisfaction at work?
What would you like to do here?
What would you like to avoid? 
What do you do for fun?

What NOT to Say
Now we go back to treating it like a job interview! Protect yourself and your organization by complying with employment laws. Avoid being too personal. You may have a genuine rapport with your potential volunteer, but until they have been properly screened, you need to keep it professional. Remember to steer clear of illegal questions, such as race, national origin, sexual identity, age, and marital status. Religious and family questions are also inappropriate. If or where someone goes to church, and how many children they have, can come up in friendly conversation if they initiate it later, but not during the interview.

Volunteer Screening
Failing to properly screen potential volunteers could have negative consequences for your NPO and the population it serves, from damaging the organization’s reputation to legal or criminal issues. Background screening is the best way to ensure you are introducing qualified individuals to your organization, its employees and those you serve.

Your Non-profit organization (NPO) is likely covered by liability and property insurance. But what about your volunteers? They could harm or injure themselves or others while operating on the behalf of your organization, so your NPO might need additional coverage. How do you decide? 

Investing in additional insurance coverage depends on the types of services your organization provides, as well as the degree of risk involved. In today’s litigious society, there are higher rates of lawsuits across industry lines, including against not-for-profit organizations. Evaluate the risks and decide if the cost of insurance is worth the investment.

Laws differ on whether volunteers are liable for their actions when perform within the scope of the activity they have been assigned.  This means that an injured party could sue the NPO and the individual volunteer. The volunteer’s homeowner’s or automobile policies might be sufficient to cover them, or a blanket endorsement on the organization’s policy could name volunteers as “additional insureds.” 

If a volunteer is injured while working on behalf of your non profit, worker’s compensation coverage would provide relief in many—but not all—areas. Check your state’s laws to determine whether or not worker’s comp covers your volunteers. 

A dialogue with your insurance provider will shed light on any holes in your coverage. Be ready to describe your volunteers’ duties, whether or not they drive their own or the organization’s vehicles, their ages, and the number of hours they volunteer.

In our last post, we suggested polling your volunteers to find out how they want you to communicate with them.  For many non profits, email is the best ways to communicate with both volunteers and donors. Here are some marketing tips for more effective email communication:

Reverse the order of your usual email writing process. Hit “attach” first instead of last, and you’ll avoid sending out emails without the intended attachments.

Ask for action. There is a school of thought that says no email should be sent without a request for action. Keep this in mind as you begin to compose your email: if you’re not asking for a review of a document or to confirm a meeting, or to pass on an important piece of information, is the email really necessary? And remember: ask, don’t tell. Don’t tell people what to do; ask them for their help.

Turn the “Subject” into keywords. For clarity and time savings, let your recipients know exactly what the email is about by choosing 3-5 key words for the subject line. 

How much email is too much? Amnesty International used to send 19 – 25 messages per month to their email list. That’s too many for any nonprofit email strategy, even if your supporters love and support your cause. Research from M+R Strategic Services shows that reduced email volume actually improves response rates.  Focus your email strategy on a regular schedule for fundraising, event invites, and general awareness campaigns.

Effective email communication can be reduced to three topics: a crisis, an opportunity, and how taking action will resolve the crisis. People want to know what they can do to help.

Keep it short. No matter what you have to say, say it briefly or your recipients will not bother to read your email. Respect your recipients’ time and they will be more responsive.

Young People Want Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities

Demographics

As the general population becomes more diverse, so does the volunteer pool. This means more of your volunteers will be ethnic minorities and people for whom English is not their first language.  Sensitivity, and relating, to a wide variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds will become ever more important.

Technology

Web-based tools have become an entire generation’s mode of communication. What is your organization’s web presence? Does your website make it easy for a volunteer to learn about what you do, the volunteer opportunities that exist, and how they can apply for a position? Do you use current technology—email, text, Social Media groups—to communicate with your volunteers? If not, you are likely turning off a large section of your potential volunteer pool. Sharpen up your technology offerings to remain relevant in today’s high-tech world. All the tools you need are easily accessed, and in many cases, free.

Wants and Needs

The desire to make a difference is back in a big way, but diverse demographic groups indicate different expectations. In general, there is more interest in issues and causes, along with a desire to help. Baby boomers are retiring and want to contribute their experience, while looking for meaning and purpose.  Young people need actual experience and job skills for their resumes. Increasingly, high schools, colleges and universities require community service in order to graduate. The newly-unemployed want to keep their skills sharp while job hunting. Today’s volunteers want to be challenged. They expect a high level of professionalism, with minimal bureaucracy.

Volunteerism is in the News

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that more employers are offering perks like time off to volunteer. They realize it’s an easy way to contribute to employee well-being, and to the community, while receiving positive press. Starbucks is driving volunteerism through its website and stores. Target and Trader Joe’s advertise their community involvement as part of their core values. Volunteerism is all over the news. Be prepared to handle more inquiries.

Family Dynamics

More women in the workplace. Two-income families. The “sandwich” generation, who care for their children as well as their parents. For most Americans, family time is stretched to the limit, and parents often feel guilty about less time spent with their families. Volunteer opportunities that allow flexibility, short-term, in-and-out service appeal to busy families, as do volunteer-from-home projects. These people are also attracted to family-friendly tasks so they can contribute to their communities while spending time with their families. 

Think about how each of these trends could affect your organization, and then craft creative ways to respond!

Photo credit: EveryStockPhoto.com

Good volunteers can be hard to find—so retaining those you have should be a top priority in any charitable organization. Establishing procedures to improve volunteer relations is key to this ongoing challenge.

Wondering where to start? Let’s look at some basic steps to improving retention. Clear communication is key to smooth relationships; this is just as true with volunteers as with paid staff or anyone else in our lives.  Nobody can read minds, so be very clear about expectations and responsibilities. Explain how each volunteer’s role fits into the organizational mission. Keep them informed with newsletters and send event invitations to your volunteers.

Get feedback.  Ask your volunteers how they’re doing, what they need, and how you can be of service to them. You may find out more than you bargained for, but your effort will likely be appreciated. For more extensive planning, consider a formal survey of current and past volunteers. Streamline existing procedures or implement new ones based on the results.

Be sure your volunteers receive adequate support. From simple things like proper tools and sufficient supplies, to educational materials and development seminars, help your volunteers do their jobs and continue to learn. Engaged volunteers are more likely to stick around.

Show appreciation. Everyone wants to feel appreciated, but we all receive messages differently. Some folks need plenty of attention, encouragement and applause. Others shy away from the spotlight—just keeping them busy and respecting their time is enough.  Get to know your volunteers, find out what they need from you, and you’ll learn how you can best appreciate and motivate them.

An often-overlooked aspect of retention is safety. Do you provide a safe environment for your volunteers? Older volunteers, while usually in good health, can be more vulnerable to workplace hazards. Provide a physically safe environment for them to work in. Turn off the loud music so they can hear and interact better. Keep sidewalks and interior walkways clear. Provide plenty of exterior lighting and accessible, clean restrooms.

Most important, keep your volunteers safe by performing background checks. Proper volunteer screening for criminal or predator status will ensure that everyone’s safety is uncompromised. Make screening a standard procedure—it will help you recruit and retain the best volunteers for your organization—and keep them safe!