Recruiting, Nurturing &
Retaining Volunteers
Don C. Bramlett, PE, SMIEEE
IEEE Region 4 Director 2009-2010
Southeastern Michigan Section
DTE Energy – Project Engineer
Who is Volunteering
• 49% of American adults volunteered 1995
• Over 50% of American between 25 and 54
years old
• 45% of all American men and 52% of all
American women
• Increases with education attained, over 70%
of college graduates volunteered an average
of 4.8 hours a week
• Increases with household income, 69% with
income over $100,000
Type of Organizations
• People are most likely to volunteer for
charitable and community service
projects; many people want to “make a
difference” or help to solve a problem
• Many trade and professional
organizations, like IEEE, are finding it
difficult to compete for their members’
volunteer time; numbers diminishing
Reference Resource
“Volunteers: How to Get
Them, How to Keep Them”
By Helen Little
Panacea Press, Inc.
Naperville, IL 1999
Needs of a Volunteer
• A specific manageable task with a
beginning and an end
• A task that matches the interests and
reasons for volunteering
• A good reason for doing the task
• Written instructions
• A reasonable deadline for doing the
task
Needs of a Volunteer
• Freedom to complete the task when and
where it is most convenient for the
volunteer
• Everything necessary to complete the
task without interruption
• Adequate training
• A safe, comfortable and friendly
working environment
Needs of a Volunteer
• Follow-up to see that the task is
completed
• An opportunity to provide feedback when
the task is finished
• Appreciation, recognition and rewards
that match the reasons for volunteering
• Value added to encourage employer
support of volunteer efforts
A specific manageable task with a
beginning and an end
• Position/Job/Task Specification:
Specific Roles - Written Job Descriptions,
Instructions and/or Work Directions
– Skills – Knowledge – Experience
– Responsibilities - Duties
– Time Commitment - Schedule
• Making the Appeal
– Ask for help personally
– Personal contacts, Meeting attendees, etc
A task that matches interests
and reasons for volunteering
• Volunteer motivations
– Affiliation – Power - Recognition
– Professional Growth - Networking
• Determine volunteer interest
– Polls – Surveys
– Interview volunteers
A good reason for doing the task
• Work or task should be important to the
functioning of the organization
• Volunteer must feel he/she is making a
meaningful contribution
• TEAM – Together Each Achieves More
• Will lead to a greater level of
commitment to the task
Written Instructions
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Job Description
Work Directions
Detailed Instructions
Letters of appreciation and thanks
A reasonable deadline for doing
the task
• Establish a schedule, interim
milestones and deadline for completion
of a task
• Mentor and follow-up with the volunteer
on progress to completion of a task
Freedom to complete the task when and where
it is most convenient for the volunteer
• Avoid inefficient, time-consuming and
wasteful face-to-face meetings
• Make use of conference calls and
communication technologies
• Provide the volunteer flexibility
• Monitor progress of the volunteer
Needs everything necessary to complete
the task without interruption
• Plan the work and work the plan
• The 5Ps – Proper Planning Prevents
Poor Performance
• Provide the needed materials and info
early in the process
• Increase the probability of success
• Mentoring and support needed
Adequate Training
• Match training to the experience, needs
and duties of the volunteer
• Offer alternatives for training
• Mentor and monitor volunteers
• Annual Section & Chapter training
A safe, comfortable and friendly
working environment
• Meeting locations need to be well identified,
safe, secure and convenient
• Volunteers need to feel welcome and be
treated as valuable members of the team
• Mentor and monitor volunteers
• Provide for special needs
• Volunteers will have a more positive image of
the organization
Follow-up to see that the task is
completed
• Volunteers are colleagues & partners,
not subordinates or employees
• Give opportunity to perform
• Monitor and provide feedback
• Be a coach and cheerleader
• Mentor and counsel, as needed
• Fire a volunteer, if necessary
Opportunity to provide feedback
when the task is completed
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Solicit feedback from volunteers
Volunteers value the opportunity
After Action Review (AAR) process
Lessons learned opportunity
Learn about problems encountered
Prevent potential problems in the future
and loss of volunteers
Appreciation, recognition and rewards
that match the reasons for volunteering
• One of the easiest and least expensive
needs of a volunteer
• Thank each volunteer personally
• Publicly recognize volunteers, as
appropriate, in a timely manner
• Provide a position with more authority
and responsibility
Value added to encourage employer
support of volunteer efforts
• Professional Development of Employee:
Leadership, Project Management,
Oral Presentation, Communication,
Team Building, & Management Skills
• Technical Development of Employee in
training and educational forums
• Exposure to state-of-the-art technology
• Potential Impact on Industry Standards
Long Term Benefits
• Meeting volunteer needs creates a win–
win situation
• Volunteers benefit when you
understand and meet their needs
• The organization benefits too
• A more successful organization
• More long-term productive volunteers &
more active members