HOW TO RECOGNIZE VOLUNTEERS

A volunteer’s pay is the recognition that he or she is an equal and respected partner of the organization. As a result, recognition must be an integral part of the management process so that volunteers feel valued within the organization they work for.

An effective, targeted recognition program can support your organization in many ways. If managed properly, your recognition program will motivate volunteers by satisfying their individual needs and supporting your organizational goals. If managed properly, your program will:

Contribute to productivity
Volunteers who are given meaningful tasks will feel rewarded by their own accomplishments. They benefit from this while the organization benefits from making good use of a precious commodity.

Contribute to retention
By identifying and addressing the specific needs of individuals and providing recognition that satisfies these needs, you are more likely to encourage your volunteers to stay with your organization.

Contribute to morale
As your organization demonstrates concern for your volunteers through appropriate task assignment and performance recognition, your volunteers' personal satisfaction and willingness to participate will increase.

Recognition programs that typically fail are those which:

• Base rewards on what the managers value rather than what the volunteers value.
• Assume certain rewards to be good for everyone without regard for individuality.
• Are inconsistently administered.
• Are external to the volunteer, with no connection to the work or person.
• Offer rewards whether performance merits it or not.
• Assume that organization's mission is sufficient justification to volunteer with no recognition or celebration of the volunteers' work.
• Offer excessive recognition and celebration.

Recognition programs that typically work are those which:

• Base rewards on an appreciation of the individual volunteer as a unique person and which addresses individual needs.
• Are based on individual jobs or tasks.
• Have consistent reward policies, resulting in a sense of trust that effort will receive the proper reward.
• Recognize longevity and special contributions frequently.
• Offer rewards which can be shared by teams of volunteers or the entire organization.

Ten guidelines for recognition

Give it or else;
Give it frequently;
Give it via a variety of methods;
Give it honestly;
Give it to the person, not to the work;
Give it appropriately to the achievement;
Give it consistently;
Give it on a timely basis;
Give it in an individualized fashion;
Give it for what you want more of.

Matching the recognition to the volunteer

Many people believe that the best way to recognize volunteers is to throw them a party or hold a similar recognition event during National Volunteer Week. However, your effort will be ineffective if you don't follow the above guidelines.

In order to recognize the efforts of your organization's volunteers most effectively, you must first understand what motivates people to volunteer.

Four typical motivators of volunteers include:

• Praise. Individuals who are motivated to volunteer by praise typically enjoy recognition for their talents and like being singled out for their accomplishments. Since these volunteer efforts are readily seen by others, offer them public recognition at an event, a recognition spot on your Web site or in your newsletter, or a letter thanking their boss, teacher, or family.
• Affiliation. Individuals who are motivated to volunteer for affiliation enjoy opportunities to get together with others with similar beliefs, backgrounds, and goals, and don't often find working alone very satisfying. As a result, you should recognize the efforts of these volunteers through social get-togethers, name-badges, or a public posting of all your organization's volunteers.
• Accomplishments. Individuals who volunteer for a sense of accomplishment enjoy seeking concrete evidence of their work and like practical, tangible projects. To recognize these volunteers effectively, offer them certificates of accomplishment at specific stages in their work or a special place to put completed projects.
• Power and influence. Individuals who are motivated to volunteer for power and influence typically like persuading people to see or do things their way, enjoy showing people a better, easier way of accomplishing an objective and like positions where they can help make decisions or train people. These volunteers will most appreciate titles or rank insignia, a special parking spot, or involvement as a speaker at your organization's workshop.

Remember, an effectively-managed volunteer recognition program will not only keep your volunteers motivated, but will ultimately benefit your organization and help you reach your goals.

Source: Volunteer Canada Website at www.volunteer.ca, Conners, Tracy Daniel, Ed., Volunteer management handbook. John Wiley and Sons Inc.., 1995 p. 222-243. Hawthrone, Nan, Sound Volunteer Management, www.sound-volunteer.com, McCurley Steve and Rick Lynch, Volunteer Management: Mobilizing all the Resources of the Community. Heritage Arts Publishing, 1996, pp. 115 - 126.



RECOGNITION IDEAS: HELPFUL HINTS

Personalizing your volunteer recognition component of your program is the best form of showing appreciation for the contribution of volunteers. A generic message does not recognize an individuals contribution, which is the only external cue that tells a volunteer that they are doing a good and worthy job.

Here are some helpful hints on recognizing your volunteers:

• When your volunteer does something that has really helped the organization, remember to write down the impact, so that when you write a card or give a speech to recognize that volunteer, you will have different messages for each volunteer, instead of using the same language for each one.
• Be aware of volunteers' interests through conversations and observation. That way, when it comes time to give them recognition gifts you can get them something that they will really appreciate, and they will also know that you are interested in them.
• Ask other volunteers, clients or staff about the volunteers efforts and personality. This will help you to get an idea of how others see this person, and will make the volunteer feel more included in the group, knowing how others perceive them.
• Find out what types of foods your volunteers like - then randomly present them with treats, just to let them know that they are appreciated. Sometimes group volunteer recognition events loses the individual element of each volunteers contribution, so small, periodic random gifts can help to eliminate this problem.
• Celebrate volunteers birthdays and let all staff know when that birthday is. For many people, just knowing that everyone in an organization is aware of you and shows interest can help you to realize that the organization appreciates your contribution

RECOGNITION IDEAS

"Thanks for "Raisin" All Those Funds
One idea to recognize volunteers is to take a small box of raisins, attach a strip of magnetic tape to the back and attach a small note saying "Thanks for raisin all those funds". These can be put on refrigerators or filling cabinets at work.

Here are a few other versions of this idea:

• Give your volunteers a bag of mixed nuts with a note attached stating, "We would go 'nuts' without your support!". This is a great, but simple, recognition for volunteers.
• Use votive candles for National Volunteer Week. Wrap them in cellophane and tie them with a note stating, "You light up the lives of so many!". You can also use notes stating, "You lighten our load by volunteering."

The Resource Kit for Managers of Volunteers, by Betty B. Stallings, suggests the following versions of this idea:

• "You are a LIFESAVER!"–candy with a note.
• "No one holds a candle to you!"–scented votive candle or a pack of birthday candles.
• "A Cracker Jack idea!"–a box of CrackerJacks.
• "You’re the apple of my eye!"–real or artificial apple, maybe tied with a bow.
• "What an angel! Here’s your halo!"–two silver pipe cleaners twisted together.
• "Your vision is our guiding light!"–mini-flashlight.
• "You have given our project the sweet smell of success!"–potpourri or sachet packet.
• "Thanks! You’ve energized us!"–package of batteries.
• "By any measure, you are a leader!"–tape measure or leader.
• "You take the cake!"–cupcakes for a committee.

Reprinted with permission of Volunteer Canada. For more information on volunteer recognition, go to www.volunteer.ca.

ONGOING VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION: AT A GLANCE IDEAS

Thanks to the Volunteer Centre of Kitchener-Waterloo for these great ideas:


Recognition when a volunteer joins your agency

• Send a letter of welcome (maybe a small welcome gift too);
• Provide a good role description, Issue name tag, ID card, etc.;
• Provide an orientation (including an agency tour);
• Assign a space to the volunteer (place to put coat, purse, on-going work, etc.);
• Publish names of new volunteers in employee / volunteer newsletter;
• Introduce the new volunteer to other staff;
• Connect the volunteer with their team leader;
• Develop a talent inventory of the volunteers;
• Provide a nursery.

Recognition on a daily or weekly basis

• SMILE!;
• Informal thank you from staff and the volunteer's supervisor;
• Document their time for future evaluation;
• On the job praise - with specific comments;
• Provide good supervision;
• Seek feedback from volunteer (suggestions / improvements);
• Show awareness / sensitivity to religious practices of the volunteer (holidays, customs, etc.);
• Have agency board members talk with the front line volunteers;
• Take time to talk;
• Say "We missed you.";
• Recognize personal problems and needs;
• Use a volunteer suggestion box.

Recognition on a monthly basis

• Volunteer of the Month;
• Set aside time for supervision and evaluation;
• Articles in newsletters;
• Provide scholarships to volunteer conferences / workshops;
• Letters to the editor about your agency's volunteers.

Recognition at the Completion of a Special Event Project

• Say "thank you";
• Send letter of thanks to the volunteer, their boss, their school or their staff supervisor;
• Write an article about the project for local newspapers or agency publication;
• Take the volunteer(s) out for lunch or a coffee break;
• Promotion, give the volunteer more responsibility;
• Wall of fame, post up a picture of the volunteer with a summary of the project;
• Write a letter to prominent public figures.

Recognition at Meetings with Staff or Groups

• Tell about the volunteer projects and individual volunteer accomplishments;
• Praise the volunteers to others (have staff who are experiencing success with volunteers in their programs become your best advocates with the staff who may be struggling);
• Show slides or video of the volunteers at work;
• Invite volunteers to staff meetings;
• Provide volunteers with outside training resources.

Recognition on Occasions, at Events, etc.

• Send your volunteers a birthday card;
• Have an informal birthday party (a cupcake with a candle);
• Send a get well card;
• Remember special event in their lives (child's wedding, job promotions, anniversary).

Recognition when a Volunteer Leaves the Agency

• Give a letter of thanks;
• Give a certificate / pin of appreciation;
• Write a letter of recommendation;
• Write a letter of appreciation / commendation to present employer;
• Have an exit interview.

Where to Recognize Your Volunteers

• Volunteer Office or lounge;
• Hallway in building / cafeteria;
• In the community;
• At shopping centres - display boards;
• In the media, newspaper articles, cables TV shows, professional journals;
• In your organization's newsletter or Web site.