Best Practices in Communicating with Volunteers

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Effective communication with volunteers is one of the key elements that drives a successful volunteer program. Volunteers dedicate their time and energy to help organizations, and it’s crucial to make sure they feel supported, valued, and well-informed. A volunteer who feels engaged, clear on their role, and recognized for their contributions will likely remain motivated and loyal to your cause.

Research shows that strategic communication plays a significant role in integrating volunteers and ensuring role clarity, reducing confusion between volunteers and paid staff (Engage Journal, 2024). This article explores the best practices for volunteer communication, focusing on transparency, the right messaging, and using the right channels to maintain strong relationships with your volunteers.

communication strategy

Overcommunicate, but in the Right Way

When communicating with volunteers, the concept of overcommunication is often misunderstood. It’s not just about telling volunteers everything you know—it’s about creating a communication structure that is transparent, consistent, and helps volunteers feel empowered and informed.

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Transparency

Transparency is key. Volunteers want to feel like they are part of the bigger picture. They need to understand the mission, goals, and impact of their work. By communicating the why behind their tasks, you give them a sense of purpose. Furthermore, volunteers appreciate knowing the expected outcome of their efforts. Overcommunicating in this way helps them know they’re on track. Research highlights that effective internal communication, including role definition and supervisory relationships, improves volunteer retention and identification with the organization (MDPI, 2019).

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Standardization

Standardization also plays an important role. Volunteers should receive consistent messaging across all communication channels. Whether through emails, newsletters, or meetings, information should align with your overall objectives. Keeping volunteers in the loop in a standardized and timely manner is essential to avoiding confusion and disengagement.

However, overcommunication should not turn into an overload of unnecessary information. Too much jargon or irrelevant updates can alienate volunteers. Make sure you’re giving them enough information to empower them without burdening them with unnecessary details.

VOLUNTEER EMPOWERMENT

Encouraging Autonomy Through Clarity

Once your volunteers have been properly onboarded and trained, the goal is to help them operate with autonomy. Clear communication early on sets expectations, enabling volunteers to work confidently without needing constant guidance.

Set Expectations

When volunteers understand their expectations, they can work independently. Autonomy fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership, boosting motivation and job satisfaction. The key is providing volunteers with the clarity they need to perform their roles and then stepping back to let them work.

Celebrate Their Achievements

Providing feedback reinforces positive behaviors and boosts morale. Volunteers will feel like they are genuinely making a difference when their efforts are recognized. Studies show that volunteer experiences, including training and interactions with staff, directly influence retention and even impact their willingness to promote the organization (Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 2023).

SUSTAINING INVOLVEMENT

Keeping Volunteers Engaged for the Long Haul

Training and onboarding are just the beginning. Once volunteers start contributing, it’s essential to keep them updated on what’s happening in the organization and how their efforts are making an impact.

A consistent stream of communication is necessary. Keep volunteers excited about their involvement by sharing stories of success and progress. Highlight their contributions in newsletters or social media so they can see the tangible results of their work.

Volunteers are more likely to stay involved if they feel emotionally connected to the organization. Consider hosting occasional events or check-ins, either in person or virtually, to bring volunteers together and celebrate milestones. Regular communication makes them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves, encouraging them to stay committed to your cause.

REQUESTING SUPPORT

How to Ask for Help Without Overburdening Volunteers

There may come times when you need to ask volunteers for additional help, but it’s important to do so without causing them to feel overwhelmed or guilty. The way you ask can have a big impact on whether or not they agree to help.

Be transparent about what help is needed and why it matters. Explain how their support will directly contribute to achieving the organization’s goals.
Respect their time and boundaries. Make it clear that it’s okay if they can’t help at the moment.
Ensure your ask is reasonable and aligned with their availability and interests. Give them enough time to consider the request rather than presenting it as a last-minute emergency.

Respect for volunteers’ time is paramount, as they are already giving generously to your cause.

COMMON MISTAKES

Learning from Missteps in Volunteer Communication

Many organizations miss the mark when it comes to maintaining volunteer relationships. From personal experience, I’ve encountered a few missteps that could have been avoided with better communication:

Lack of Follow-Up: I’ve applied to volunteer roles where the organization got back to me, promising a colleague would reach out, but I never heard back. This makes volunteers feel unimportant and discourages further involvement.
Absence of Updates: I’ve volunteered with organizations that stopped sending regular updates. Without ongoing communication, I completely forgot about them. Keeping volunteers informed is crucial for long-term engagement.
Ineffective Meetings: Some organizations scheduled long, unstructured meetings at inconvenient times. A quick, well-structured meeting with a clear agenda is far more effective than a rambling, disorganized one.

EFFECTIVE CHANNELS

Choosing the Right Communication Tools and Respecting Time

Finally, recognize the growing importance of digital platforms in volunteer communication. Apps like Discord are becoming increasingly popular among organizations, especially for their ease of use and free cost. However, be sure to consider your volunteer demographic before deciding on a communication platform.

Survey volunteers during onboarding to find out which channels they prefer. Are they comfortable with email, Slack, or even social media platforms like Facebook or WhatsApp? Respecting their preferred communication methods significantly increases engagement and participation.

The ideal communication balance involves using the right frequency and tone. Avoid overwhelming volunteers with excessive messages, but also ensure they receive updates at a cadence that keeps them engaged.

Keep in Mind:

Explore Discord for Volunteer Communication

Discord has proven to be a great tool for volunteer engagement, especially because it’s free and allows for community building.

Clearly Define Volunteer Roles

Ensure they understand their responsibilities and how they contribute to the mission.

The Importance of Regular Updates

Keeping volunteers informed and up-to-date with the organization’s progress is critical to maintaining their engagement.

Balancing Volunteer Meetings

Use meetings efficiently, with clear agendas and respect for volunteers’ time. If there’s no agenda, don’t hold a meeting.

Respect Volunteer Boundaries

When asking volunteers for additional help, be transparent and considerate of their time and limits.