Charity Village® Research: Effective relationships between staff and volunteers<br>

Resources & Library

Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article

Effective relationships between staff and volunteers
By Merrill Associates
April 28, 2008

Build understanding and collaboration:

Paid staff are respected and are empowered to fully participate in planning, decision-making and management related to volunteer involvement.

There is a conscious, active effort to reduce the boundaries and increase the teamwork between paid and volunteer staff.

Success breeds success as stories of the contributions of volunteers - both historically and currently - are shared among both paid and volunteer staff.

An effective volunteer program requires cooperation between staff and volunteers and a commitment from both parties to encourage and respect the contributions of the other.
"A principle learned in the customer service discipline has great relevance when translated to the field of volunteer involvement: 'Staff will tend to treat volunteers in the same way that management treats staff.' Supervisory styles tend to flow downhill, and an organization in which leadership fails to empower staff will have great difficulty in encouraging staff to empower volunteers. An organization in which staff feel a lack of respect will also tend to not respect volunteers." (McCurley, 1995, p. 3)
Today's volunteers have many options and opportunities for sharing their time and skills. Volunteers will generally avoid environments that are negative or hostile or simply indifferent. Volunteers are freer than paid staff to make choices to avoid unpleasant situations and most volunteers with choose to "invest their time and energies in organizations where the major effort is devoted to fighting the problems of the world, not fighting each other." (McCurley, 1995, p. 3)
Sometime a lack of respect for volunteers or a lack of interest in the volunteer program happens because of staff perspectives about the commitments and contributions of volunteers. Staff frequently sees volunteers as "passing through" because of their relatively short time involvement. Or they may be seen as "marginally" committed because of their limited time schedules. Staff may feel disconnected from volunteers who work outside of normal hours or who work outside of the office setting. Staff may feel that volunteers disrupt the normal flow of work with their short assignments and short hours. These feeling are generally not the result of an inherent or intentional dislike of volunteers. They happen because it is difficult to integrate volunteers into the day to day social fabric of the organization.
Paid staff will feel more connected, supporting and trusting of volunteers when they are invited fully to participate in the development and operation of the volunteer program.

"When a volunteer program is being developed, staff should be fully involved in discussing the program and determining the rationale of the agency for the involvement of volunteers.

Staff should be allowed to discuss their concerns and fears related to the use of volunteers and to help determine what answer there may be to these considerations.

Staff should participate fully in all of the key aspects of volunteer program operation: job design, interviewing and selection, training, supervision and recognition.

Staff who work with volunteers should receive appropriate orientation and training in the management of volunteers.

Staff should participate equally in the success of the volunteer program through feedback about successes and accomplishments.

Staff should be rewarded for the assistance that they themselves give to enabling volunteer involvement." (McCurley, 1995, pp.4-5)

Volunteers are drawn to programs with a true sense of a team effort. They want to feel a part of the team, an equal partner in the work. This occurs most effectively when staff and volunteers understand the connection between their efforts and the mission of the agency. Nothing fosters teamwork more effectively than a common sense of what we are trying to accomplish together. Volunteers and staff should be encouraged to talk about the mission and the unique contributions each can make to the mission.
Staff needs to understand that volunteers are held to performance standards just as staff are held to performance standards. Volunteers and staff are both selected for their abilities to perform the work and meet accepted expectations. Teamwork is fostered when expectations are clear, individuals are accountable, and all members of the team are recognized for their unique contributions.
Sometimes a "we" versus "them" attitude is created inadvertently through distinctions such as nametags, uniforms, badges, or other items that create class-like differences between staff and volunteers. Volunteers may be excluded from staff meetings or staff events because no one thought to invite them, or because they work outside of the "normal" work hours or work location. Creating effective teams depends upon the elimination of boundaries and distinctions between staff and volunteers.
Sharing stories of the contributions of volunteers, both historically and currently, is a powerful tool for building teamwork. Organizations frequently lift up examples of "outstanding" or "extraordinary" volunteers. These are inspiring and motivational but they are not the same as the small, everyday stories, that illustrate the significance of the work being done and help foster feelings of cohesiveness among staff and volunteers. Shared stories help to highlight the unique contributions that individual volunteers bring to the organization as it strives to fulfill its mission.
"Collecting and distributing stories about volunteers is vastly different from collecting and distributing statistics about what volunteers do... One good story is worth a thousand statistics... A story, for example, which talks about the work of a team involving both staff and volunteers and which demonstrates that all were involved in dealing with the situation, even while making different contributions, can be invaluable." (McCurley, 1995, P. 10)
*************
References:
McCurley, Steve (1995). Building understanding and collaboration: creating synergistic relationships between staff and volunteers. Washington, DC: The Points of Light Foundations.

Merrill, Mary V. (1995). Combine inspiring leadership and effective management: The underpinnings of a strategic volunteer program. Washington, DC: The Points of Light Foundation.

Points of Light Foundation, (1995). Changing the Paradigm: Volunteer involvement self assessment kit. Washington, DC: Points of Light Foundation
This article was first published in 2000 and is licensed under a Creative Commons License. It may be reproduced in its entirety, provided that you give the original author credit.