The Keys to Volunteer Retention

Transcription

1 The Keys t Vlunteer Retentin Strategies fr Hanging On t Yur Talent Wednesday, Octber 11, 2017 Helping Build and Sustain GREAT Organizatins!

2 Jeffrey L. Russell Jeff Russell, c-directr f Russell Cnsulting, Inc. (RCI) with his wife Linda, specializes in helping leaders build prductive, supprtive, and mtivating wrk envirnments. RCI helps cmpanies develp their leadership and strengthen team perfrmance t achieve their great perfrmance gals and utcmes. By guiding the explratin f key values held in cmmn by rganizatinal members and develping strategies and actins t express these values-in-actin, RCI helps rganizatins achieve their strategic visin. Thrugh prcesses that include "visining" retreats, Future Search cnferences, prcess redesigns, imprving decisin making prcesses, implementing quality imprvement strategies, and prviding a variety f skill-building seminars, RCI enhances lngterm rganizatinal effectiveness and perfrmance. Cnsulting Expertise Jeff cnsults with cmpanies in the areas f: Visining and strategic planning Leadership develpment Leading and implementing change Perfrmance management systems Emplyee engagement assessment Custmer and emplyee fcus grups Team assessment and interventin training needs assessment Organizatinal design Self-managed teams Prblem slving and decisin making Training Expertise Jeff cnducts an array f leadership and team develpment seminars n such tpics as: Surviving difficult cnversatins Fearless perfrmance reviews Leadership and strategic thinking/planning Leading fearless change Cmmunicatin skills Dealing with difficult peple DiSC Behaviral Prfiles 360 leadership assessment and develpment Effective meeting management Decisin making and prblem slving Managing cnflict and win/win negtiatins Perfrmance management and caching skills Team building fundamentals Team leadership and facilitatin skills Custmer service Prfessinal Backgrund Jeff serves as an adjunct faculty member at University f Wiscnsin-Madisn and UW-Milwaukee. He als teaches fr the UW-Madisn, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-La Crsse Small Business Develpment Centers. Jeff has a bachelr's in Humanism and Cultural Change and a Masters f Science degree in Industrial Relatins frm UW-Madisn. Befre frming RCI, Jeff served as human resurce crdinatr fr the Wiscnsin Department f Administratin (DOA). At DOA, Jeff develped and crdinated their emplyee assistance, leadership and emplyee develpment, and equal emplyment pprtunity/affirmative actin prgrams. Jeff is a past VISTA vlunteer assisting Wiscnsin tribes with ecnmic develpment and wrking with at-risk yuth n the Lac du Flambeau Reservatin in nrthern Wiscnsin. Cnference Presenter and Authr Jeff is a sught-after speaker at state, natinal and internatinal cnferences. Recent presentatins include: ASTD Internatinal Cnferences 2001 thrugh 2011 Jamaica Emplyer s Federatin Cnference, Och Ris, Jamaica, 2004, 2006, 2007, Minnesta Quality Cnference Minnesta Prject Management Institute, PDD 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Wiscnsin SHRM Annual Cnference, 2004 thrugh 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 Wiscnsin Child Welfare Annual Cnference, 2012 Leading Change, Shanghai, China Emtinal Intelligence in Actin, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2012 Jeff and his wife Linda have c-authred nine management bks including Leading Change Training, Strategic Planning Training, Change Basics, Strategic Planning 101, Ultimate Perfrmance Management, and Fearless Perfrmance Reviews (McGraw-Hill, 2014). Helping Create and Sustain GREAT Organizatins! 1134 Winstn Drive tel (608) Madisn, Wiscnsin RCI Online: Jeff@RussellCnsultingInc.cm

3 Why Vlunteers Stay r G What are the Factrs that Cause Vlunteers t Leave? Based upn yur experience, what are the factrs that cause vlunteers t leave? What are the Factrs that Cause Vlunteers t Stay? Based upn yur experience, what are the factrs that have the greatest impact n whether vlunteers stay with yur nn-prfit? 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 1

4 Effective Vlunteer Retentin Strategies Gal f Retentin: Building Cmmunity and Enabling Engagement The mre that vlunteers are embedded in their vlunteer jbs and the mre they see themselves as part f a larger cmmunity the mre they are likely t be engaged. And the mre engaged they are in their vlunteer experience, the mre likely they are t have wnership. The greater the wnership they feel ver their vlunteer experience, the mre likely they will stay. Thirteen Effective Vlunteer Retentin Practices Nn-Prfits can help create cmmunity and enhance vlunteer engagement thrugh such practices as: 1. Right Recruiting right invlves prviding realistic previews f their vlunteer experience s that a candidate knws in advance what they are signing up fr. Selling the vlunteer pprtunity as it really is vs. an idealized versin f the wrk leads t less disappintment and turnver when the reality f the actual vlunteer experience sets in. 2. the Right Way Take the time t nbard vlunteers t yur agency: visin, missin, cre values, prgrams, services, clients served. Orient them t and sell the cause and larger purpse f their vlunteer wrk rather the agency they are vlunteering fr. Stress the value and imprtance f their vlunteer wrk t the agency s missin and clients and nte the experience they are likely t have as a vlunteer and why their cntributin f time and talent matters. 3. Make a Gd and Give the Vlunteer Chices Explre what the vlunteer is lking fr frm their vlunteer experience; match these interests, passins, and mtivatins with the vlunteer pprtunities that yu have t ffer; and then give the vlunteer a menu f pssible ptins. Letting them make a chice leads t a higher level f engagement. 4. Define in Bth Directins Find ut if he/she is lking fr a lng- r shrt-term vlunteer experience and then ask fr a cmmitment t a minimal duratin (e.g., 1 year, 18 mnths, etc.). Discuss what the vlunteer can expect frm the agency (e.g., a meaningful experience, training, mentring, supprt, vlunteer recgnitin banquet, etc.) and identify what yur agency expects f its vlunteers: fllwing thrugh n cmmitments, respecting the agency s missin and values, ideal and unacceptable behavirs fr vlunteers, and being assertive abut ensuring that their vlunteer experience is meeting their needs. 5. Build a One-On-One A key factr influencing vlunteer engagement and retentin is the individual vlunteer feeling cnnected. Vlunteers want t feel persnally cnnected with thers at yur agency. It starts with the vlunteer crdinatr taking the time t get t knw the vlunteer. 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 2

5 Making persnal cntacts with thers at the agency early n slidifies the relatinship and the vlunteer s cmmitment. 6. Give the Vlunteer as Much as Pssible Give the vlunteer as much authrity, respnsibility, and decisin making ver their wrk as pssible. This builds wnership ver their vlunteer experience and strengthens their level f engagement. Be very clear, hwever, as t the limits r bundaries t their authrity: when they need t cnsult thers vs. ging with what they think is right. Be careful nt t set the vlunteer up fr frustratin by carefully defining the limits r parameters that they must respect. 7. Build a Sense f Cnnecting the vlunteer t yur agency desn t mean just with yu r the vlunteer crdinatr. Create pprtunities fr bringing each vlunteer int as much f the agency s cmmunity as they want: vlunteer events, staff/vlunteer celebratins, client/vlunteer events, staff meetings, agency picnics, etc. Peple need t feel that they are jining smething that cnnects them with a larger cmmunity. Feeling cnnected facilitates vlunteer engagement and retentin. 8. Guide, Develp, and Them A vlunteer desn t want t be drpped int the deep end f the pl withut knwing hw t swim. Help build the vlunteer s self-cnfidence in their task by ffering ne-n-ne r grup training, mentring by anther vlunteer r staffer, r caching n effective practices. Whenever pssible, develp written standard peratinal practices (SOPs) r jb aids such that they dn t feel they have t reinvent the wheel r remember everything that yu r a mentr might have shwn them. If yu prvide them with SOPs, let them knw hw rigid they are: must these steps be fllwed precisely r are these just rugh guidelines in hw t perfrm the task? 9. Train Agency n Hw t Wrk with Vlunteers Take the time t rient and train paid staffers such that they knw hw t effectively interact with r manage the vlunteers with whm they wrk. All f yur effrts t build vlunteer engagement can cme crashing dwn in secnds if an agency staffer fails t treat the vlunteer with respect r ffer supprt and guidance when needed. Make sure that all f yur paid staff understand and appreciate the rle and value f vlunteers t yur agency s success. 10. Cnduct Interviews The best way t ensure that yur vlunteers remain engaged vlunteers is t rutinely cnduct stay interviews. During the ccasinal (at least nce a year) stay interview, yu explre the quality f the vlunteer s experience with yur agency by asking such questins as: 11. Ask fr their Vlunteers have a unique perspective n the wrk yur agency des. Yu can benefit frm this experience while demnstrating yur respect fr their view when yu invite them t prvide yu feedback n ways t imprve bth the vlunteer experience as well as ptentially enhance yur agency s prgrams and services. Vlunteers get t knw yur agency very well the saring successes and the rugh spts. Leverage the knwledge and experience f yur vlunteers t help imprve nt nly the vlunteer experience but als yur agency s peratins, prgrams, and services. 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 3

6 12. Shw Vlunteers are self-mtivating. Their energy t serve drives them t d great things fr yur agency and its services and clients. But vlunteers can get burned ut, wrn ut, and tired ut if their services are taken fr granted. Yes, they are self-mtivated, but if we dn t take the time t thank them, celebrate them, appreciate them, r reward them, they are likely t wind dwn their vlunteer cmmitments and mve n t where thers let them knw that they are making a difference. 13. Cnduct Interviews When a vlunteer decides t stp giving yur agency his r her time, it s imprtant that yu find ut why. Asking an exiting vlunteer why they are ending their vlunteer service and what the agency culd have dne differently t prevent them frm exiting can help yu imprve the vlunteer experience. Exit interviews shuld be cnducted in the final few hurs f the vlunteer s time with yur agency t assess the quality f their vlunteer experience. Example questins include: What did yu like best abut vlunteering fr us? What did yu like least? T what extend did we fully utilize yur experience and expertise? Why did yu first start vlunteering fr us? What caused yu t start thinking abut ending yur vlunteer time with us If yu were t make ne suggestin fr ways that we culd imprve the vlunteer experience fr future vlunteers, what wuld it be? What was the mst meaningful part f yur vlunteer experience with us? What was yur least meaningful part f yur vlunteer experience? 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 4

7 Mtivatin 3.0: Bringing Out the Best in Others Adapted frm Drive: the Surprising Truth Abut What Mtivates Us (Riverhead Bks, 2009) by Daniel Pink 1. Fr vlunteer jbs that require sme degree f thught, creativity r prblemslving: Fr vlunteer jbs that require independent r creative thinking r prblem slving, simply ffering rewards and negative cnsequences (punishments) nt nly desn t wrk, it is ften cunterprductive. Instead, mtivatin 3.0 research suggests that there are three elements that vlunteers ding this kind f wrk require fr their internal mtivatinal ptential t be unleased: a. Autnmy The desire t direct ur wn lives. Autnmy is defined as being able t cntrl the task (what they d), time (when the wrk is dne), team (wh they d the wrk with), and technique (hw the wrk is dne). Peple wh have autnmy are mre likely t develp intrinsic mtivatin fr their wrk. b. Mastery The urge t make prgress and get better at smething that matters. Mastery refers t the nging pursuit twards perfectin in a task. It is the nature f mastery and perfectin, hwever, that this utcme nly be apprached and never fully attained. Hence, mastery is a never-ending jurney fcused n persnal and prfessinal learning and grwth. c. Purpse Purpse is the yearning t d what we d in the service f smething significant and meaningful. Purpse refers t ding smething that matters t yu, ding it well, and ding it in the cause f smething larger than yurself. 2. Fr rutine/rte/repetitive vlunteer jbs that dn t require much thught, creativity, r prblem slving: Fr vlunteer jbs that neither inspire great passin in thers nr require critical thinking r creative prblem slving, the research suggests that ffering carrts (tangible rewards) wn t hurt and actually might help. Beynd ffering rewards, hwever, yu ll actually increase yur chances f success with thers wh d this kind f vlunteer wrk by supplementing these cncrete rewards with three imprtant practices: a. Offer a ratinale fr why the rutine task is necessary. Explain hw the task cntributes t a larger purpse. Identify why it really matters that the jb be dne well (the shrt and lnger-term benefit f the task t clients, the agency, the cmmunity, etc.). b. Acknwledge that the task may be uninteresting r even bring and again link it t the larger purpse as t why it still matters that it be dne well c. Give thse tasked with ding the wrk as much autnmy as pssible in hw they cmplete the task. This includes flexibility in when, hw, and with whm they d perfrm the wrk. 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 5

8 Stay Interviews Befre it s t Late! Why a Stay Interview? By the time a valued vlunteer quits, yu ve already lst an irreplaceable asset. Smetimes such a departure has nthing t d with the agency s actins; ther times, hwever, there are things that the agency culd have dne that might have caused the vlunteer t stay vs. walk tward the exits. A stay interview asks valued vlunteers n a regular basis why they cntinue t chse yur agency. The interview als explres what the agency culd d t ensure that these emplyees cntinue t chse vlunteering fr yu. With Whm Might Yu Cnduct Stay Interviews? Star vlunteers Vlunteers with essential knwledge/experience Vlunteers identified as thse with even greater ptential talents t give Individuals whse departure might cause ther vlunteers t leave Tpics t Explre The stay interview cvers many f the same tpics as the exit interview. The greatest difference is the fcus n identifying what s wrking and what s nt and hw these might influence the vlunteer s future intentins and behavirs. General questins abut the vlunteer experience itself Onbarding and rientatin t their vlunteer rle The agency s culture r envirnment and its impact n the vlunteer experience Opprtunities and quality f vlunteer develpment Persnal grwth r career pprtunities Quality f vlunteer management Quality f interactins with agency leaders and staff members Relatinships with ther vlunteers Recgnitin and rewards what they find valuable/nt-valuable Agency strengths Changes that culd be made fr a better vlunteer experience The vlunteer s lng-term expectatins as a vlunteer What might cause the vlunteer t ever cnsider leaving , Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 6

9 Example Stay Interview Questins 1. Are yu having the best vlunteer experience f yur life? If YES, describe why. If NO, what circumstances, if they changed, wuld enable yu feel this way? 2. What d yu like best abut yur vlunteer experience with ur agency? 3. T what extent d yu feel that yur vlunteer wrk makes a difference in this agency, t ur clients, and t the brader cmmunity n this ten-pint scale: 1 = nt at all t 10 = significantly s? What culd mve yur number clser t a 10? 4. T what extent are we fully utilizing yur skills, knwledge, and talent in yur current vlunteer rle n this ten-pint scale: 1 = nt at all t 10 = significantly s? What culd mve yur number clser t a 10? Hw else culd we take advantage f what yu have t ffer us? 5. What frustrates yu in yur current vlunteer rle? What inhibits yur engagement, creativity, and verall perfrmance as a vlunteer? 6. If yu culd change three things abut yur current vlunteer rle, what wuld they be? 7. What factrs/aspects abut yur current vlunteer rle d yu find mst satisfying? 8. Describe the quality f interactins yu have with agency leaders and staff members. T what extent are yu respected and listened t? T what extent d they seek yu ut fr ideas n ways t imprve yur vlunteer experience r the agency and its services? 9. What wuld yu like t see mre f in the vlunteer envirnment here t bring ut even a higher level f engagement and cmmitment in yu? 10. Have yu ever cnsidered vlunteering elsewhere? If s, what were yu lking fr in anther agency that we dn t have here t the same extent? What, in the end, caused yu t stay with us? 11. T what extent are yu recgnized, praised, r rewarded in a way that increased the level f yur vlunteer cmmitment n this ten-pint scale: 1 = nt at all t 10 = significantly s? Describe a recent situatin where this happened fr yu. 12. What ther ways might we acknwledge, reward, r celebrate yur cntributins as a vlunteer that yu wuld find affirming? 2017, Russell Cnsulting, Inc. 7