7 Facts, 7 Strategies: Driving Retention through Engaging Volunteerism

Transcription

1 present the 7 Facts, 7 Strategies: Driving Retention through Engaging Volunteerism April 30, :45am 1:00pm Peggy Hoffman, president, Mariner Management & Marketing David Lorms, CAE, principal, Core Concept Solutions LLC Tina M. Myers, CAE, VP, membership & chapter development, Society for Marketing Professional Services 2009 Marketing & Membership Conference Baltimore, MD

2 Fact 1: The Professional Benefits of Volunteerism Volunteers also serve out of a sense of personal responsibility or civic duty to pursue a personal interest in the cause or out of a desire to learn new skills. According to the study and certainly through our own experiences, the decision to volunteer is driven by several factors. Professional benefits are important at every level from 62.6 % at the entry level up to 75% plus at the upper levels of management. It is important to understand what benefit is sought. Additionally, no level of organizational life reported less than an 81% positive effect on their career or business. So how can an organization use professional benefits of volunteering as a tool? Understand that volunteering is not generally a spontaneous activity Some volunteer activities may be involuntary i.e., students for credit The professional benefits of volunteering are at once altruistic and instrumental Understand that decisions to volunteer are pro-social, rather than self-sacrificial The unique demographics and organizational culture of organizations determines the approaches we use to recruit. Understanding organizational needs for the future, not only the present, can excite some currently sitting by waiting for an opportunity and certainly will have a positive impact on those seeking professional growth opportunities as well. Determining where your corps of volunteers is spread across the leader-teacher-writer-shaper continuum can provide a different picture of the true professional benefits your volunteers may seek. FIRST assess varying levels of activity for your volunteers Establish diverse volunteer opportunities Screen volunteers for appropriate roles Have clear written job descriptions Develop targeted development activities related to their motivation Have recognition policies and procedures in place appropriate to the task Oh yes Remember the Personal ask

3 Fact 2: Power of the Direct Ask I have never been contacted about volunteering and I only knew it was an option by a brief mention of it in an recently. Like donors, volunteers respond best when approached directly with meaningful tasks. According to DTV, the direct approach is the #1 way members are drawn to volunteering. Direct Ask... 51% were Asked by staff or another volunteer Local chapter or section Meeting or conference While only 13% Answered a call for volunteers, ad, website or Contacted organization An active ask is face-to-face or phone-to-phone. A passive ask is any sent communication, think: , posting, advertising, call for volunteers. An effective ask is a request that is specific (task, timeline, time commitment, expected outcome, how it benefits the organization and the person) Complete a member profile that helps you match members with real opportunities. For new member orientations, include an exercise in which the member identifies a specific need (reason for joining such as access to the knowledge base) and a coach then matches that need to an activity (reviewing submissions to the knowledge base or assisting in developing an article). Set up a talent scout position which is tasked with filling ad-hoc positions by meeting members and matching them to opportunities. Set-up volunteer booth at meetings. Use multiple channels: continue the open call, website sign-up page, communications.

4 Fact 3: Involving the Younger Generations No matter what the reason for volunteering, the youngest respondents agreed more strongly than older respondents with the importance of volunteering. According to the study and certainly through our own experiences, volunteering varies depending upon the various stages of an individual s life. Numbers show that the differences in rates are more of a reflection on preferences rather than the activity of volunteering itself. So what are some of the varying factors? Stage of life Motivation Capacity to volunteer Let s not forget, whether a member is inclined to renew their membership or not Every association has its unique membership and demographic. Many are comprised of senior, older generations, while others have a much larger percentage of younger, less experienced members. Understand what your association s specific volunteer needs are now and well into the future. This is when you can begin to identify and put in place the appropriate tactics and strategies to ensure a strong volunteer community. FIRST make sure you know your members and can identify the younger generation you seek to volunteer Establish diverse volunteer opportunities Identify and communicate the ways your association meets their needs throughout their life course. Promote volunteer opportunities in specific ways that will align to the younger volunteer needs and wants. Provide opportunities for leadership development and to move into leadership roles.

5 Fact 4: Recognizing the ad hoc Volunteer writers and teachers are more likely to perform activities that are ad hoc in nature and less likely to serve the organization in governance and committee activities. Volunteers who serve the organization in ad hoc capacities alone require additional organizational effort to track, support and recognize for their efforts. If they are not recognized for their efforts, they may feel less appreciated (than those in governance roles). The study shows 63+% of a volunteer corps are writers; 96+% are teachers; and almost 20% are shapers. So, what do these statistics mean to the organization in terms of recognition for those ad hoc volunteers? Recognize that activities critical to the organization s success are covered by ad hoc volunteers Recruitment strategies for these unsung positions is often overlooked Recognition is both a front and back end activity Given the extreme percentages for the impact of ad hoc volunteers across the spectrum of organizational activity, as much thought must be put into their recruitment, retention and recognition as with those in more visible activities. Understand the intersection of life course with professional life to maximize opportunities Help component leadership grasp the value of recognizing the many ad hoc volunteer roles that exist Build ad hoc volunteers into succession leadership plans Develop targeted development activities related to their motivation Have recognition policies and procedures in place appropriate to the task. Oh yes Remember the Personal ask

6 Fact 5: A Meaningful Experience Keeps Them Coming Back Excerpt from DTV:... people who volunteer for associations expect to be involved effectively. In our demographic analyses, we also learned that volunteer expectations vary according to where members are in their careers. One size will not fit all, and associations must design flexible and multiple volunteer activities for their members. Top 2 Ratings (The Decision to Volunteer, page 63, Exhibit 6.10) 1. I feel it is important to help others (4.31 men, 4.49 women) 2. I can do something for a profession or cause that is important to me (4.01 men, 4.27 women) As association professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure our members and volunteers alike are engaged and have meaningful involvement and experiences. As with everything we do, it is imperative to understand the make-up of our membership and volunteers. Who are they? What do they value? What does recognition mean to them? We must LISTEN and then apply what we have learned to the best of our abilities with the resources we have in hand. Educate staff on the value of volunteerism. Engage in conversations with current, energized volunteers. Why do they continue to support the association? What has been their meaningful experience? Understand the role of your association s cultural environment. Are there impediments to a successful volunteer experience? If there are, and once identified, you can then begin the conversation, address attitudes, and begin the process of a healthy, cultural mindset to the value of volunteers. Be respectful and SINCERELY show your appreciation. There are a number of ways we can show our appreciation to volunteers: formal recognition, reimbursements, tokens of appreciation, and the list goes on. But never forget the value of simply saying thank you and letting them know they have and continue to make a difference

7 Fact 6: Organizational strategies can support/discourage Members told us that many of the reasons they did not volunteer for their professional association are within the organization s power to address. Among the top controllable reasons according to the DTV study are: Lack of information about volunteer opportunities (#1) Never asked to volunteer. Lack of information about virtual volunteer opportunities. Lack of information about short-term assignments. Most of which are organizational structure issues that hinders volunteering Lack of information about volunteer opportunities Poor follow-through Forgetting to thank Poor communication Lack of support or training Unclear roles High transportation expenses The best strategy is to be diligent in exposing your barriers. Don t judge your volunteer program from the staff view point; you need input from your members. Conduct an assessment of your volunteer management program checking on: recordkeeping, effective matching of skills & needs (write job descriptions), orientation, training, support, evaluation and recognition. Conduct a member assessment of your volunteer program; use the results to make corrections and improvements. Add volunteer management training to your staff development program. Bring in a trainer or tap ASAE & The Center programs. Use the Decision to Volunteer book to assess your program. Assemble a diverse staff team(s) to review each chapter and walk through the Acting on the Findings sections. Develop a formal response process for volunteer requests; being sure that each is followed-up on quickly even if it s to say you do not have a role right now. Have a robust Volunteer section on your website.

8 Fact 7: Association Members Are Highly Engaged Two-thirds of those individuals who already volunteer, but not for the cosponsor, are sill looking for opportunities to connect their volunteer work to their professional world especially to build their skills. DTV respondents appear to be more heavily engaged in volunteering: one-half volunteer for 1 or 2 organizations, while the other half volunteers for 3 or more. Given this fact that association members volunteer for multiple organizations and are identifying a unmet need for connecting volunteer work to professional world, the findings suggest there is an untapped potential to increase your volunteer base by recruiting from among your members. When considering this potential, also look to the finding that values drive volunteer choices even among professional volunteering. Members indicate they are interested in volunteering for reasons bigger than themselves, especially to build a stronger profession. Focus volunteer appeals to members values in addition to career benefits. Can you connect volunteering for your association to professional and societal value? Test your volunteer messages by asking potential volunteers what whey see as the potential value to a given role or task. Gather data on your members community volunteering as well as professional volunteering to identify those with an interest in volunteering in general.