Whether it’s a group of volunteers frustrating staff by not taking their roles seriously or a new political campaign manager stepping on the toes of the volunteers who’ve been running things for weeks, conflict between volunteers and staff is all too common. Communication lapses, tension builds, and sometimes, sparks fly. It’s natural, and solving these conflicts is part of every volunteer manager’s job.
But with volunteers making up about one-third of the nonprofit workforce, volunteers and staff must overcome interpersonal challenges if they want to drive real change. Recognizing each other’s value and working together is the only way to successfully further their organizations’ missions.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of best practices you can use to improve volunteer-staff relations at your nonprofit and set your team up for long-term success.
1. Clarify each role’s responsibilities.
When you create clear boundaries between staff and volunteer responsibilities, it’s easier to foster positive relationships from the beginning. This way, task ownership is clearer, preventing contention and work slowdowns.
Before you start staffing your next campaign, refresh your job and role descriptions to ensure they accurately speak to each person’s responsibilities. Clearly outline the following for each role:
- Whether it’s a paid or volunteer position
- The time commitment, such as part-time, seasonal, or occasional long shifts
- Their primary responsibilities
- Additional responsibilities they may pick up on a day-to-day basis as needed
- Who they report to
- Which team members this role will interact with
- Whether the position is entry-level, skills-based, or senior
Then, reinforce the division and delegation of responsibilities between paid and volunteer roles during volunteer onboarding. Clarify what ad hoc tasks are within the scope of volunteer responsibilities and which ones they should ask a staff member to handle. For example, you may let your summer camp program volunteers talk to upset parents but ask them to pass the conversation off to a staff member if the parent mentions any major concerns, such as child safety or data security.
If any issues or confusion arise down the line, remind both staff and volunteers what duties they’re ultimately responsible for and what they aren’t. When in doubt, tell them to refer to your volunteer handbook or a senior staff member.
2. Create space for casual interactions.
Because volunteers and staff may be involved in different aspects of the organization, they might not get an opportunity to get to know one another or become familiar with what the other actually does.
To bridge the divide, volunteer managers should create space for volunteers and staff to interact casually. When they’re more familiar with each other, everyone will be more compassionate and understanding in moments of conflict.
Try inviting staff and volunteers to eat together before events or celebrate a successful campaign with a small party. You might hold an appreciation dinner event and create name cards so you can seat volunteers and staff next to each other. Or, ask staff members and volunteers to team up for auction item solicitation — you could even give out a prize for the team that gets the most items.
3. Provide adequate training.
A common reason tension can build between staff and volunteers is insufficient training. If a group of volunteers doesn’t know what they’re doing on the day of an event, the staff members in charge may get frustrated at having to train them on top of all their other responsibilities. Or, a volunteer who hasn’t received enough training might ask lots of questions and get frustrated when staff members expect them to do things they haven’t learned how to do.
To avoid these conflicts, improve your volunteer training process by:
- Assessing your current training resources and processes. How long is your current training process? Who takes the lead? What resources, if any, do volunteers get to walk away with to learn more? Look for any clear gaps and opportunities to provide more knowledge.
- Asking past volunteers for feedback. Volunteers who have been through the training themselves often have the best insight. For instance, a volunteer might say that last year’s phone canvassing training didn’t provide enough instruction on how to talk about your organization to prospective donors. To improve this year’s training, you might add an extra session where volunteers roleplay conversations with donors.
- Inviting both staff members and experienced volunteers to lead. Allocating some of your training responsibilities to long-time volunteers not only takes work off your staff members’ plates but also empowers volunteers.
Consider providing extra training opportunities for staff members, too. For instance, hosting a training workshop about leadership styles can help staff discover their strengths as leaders and learn how to harness them when working with volunteers.
4. Celebrate teamwork when you see it.
Positive reinforcement is crucial for truly changing the dynamic between volunteers and staff at your organization.
When you see staff members go out of their way to help volunteers, thank them for fostering positivity among the team. Any time you notice volunteers mediating conflict or encouraging teamwork, make a note in your volunteer database to send them a special thank-you message later.
Additionally, make both volunteers and staff feel appreciated by recognizing their team achievements. Call particular attention to accomplishments achieved through the cooperation and efforts of everyone, such as successful fundraising events. This will boost morale and foster the idea that great results happen through teamwork and a collective dedication to your mission.
Fostering positive volunteer-staff relations can feel challenging, but the results are well worth the effort. When you use these strategies and create an environment where volunteers and staff members work together effectively, you’ll strengthen your nonprofit’s community and achieve better long-term results.
