The Marriage of HR and Volunteer Management: The Odd Couple?
In their last Points of View, Steve and Susan offered a somewhat tongue-in-cheek reaction to the current fad that suggests volunteer involvement would improve if we simply turned everything over to corporate human resources “professionals.” But in this follow-up column, the authors take another look at this topic from a somewhat more serious perspective. First, they identify five things about managing volunteers that are very different from managing employees, which reinforce why turning responsibility for volunteer involvement over to a human resources department is not such a good idea. Next, to be fair, Steve and Susan identify three things that HR professionals tend to do better than volunteer managers. Which begs the question: Would the marriage of HR and volunteer management really create such an odd couple?
Comments
Stephen Moreton, Attend. UK
August 14th, 2012, 9:21am
I came across a blog about the Olympic Volunteers, which provides a good read. Roy Lilley in his nhsManagers.net contribution...
In his view Macdonalds had done a good job with training (and by inference, selecting) the volunteers. Listening to the person responsible for overseeing this process on the radio at the weekend, the key strategy was to encourage volunteers to show their personality whilst performing their duties. Sound like a good balance was struck between discipline and freedom.
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"I'm used to his voice. To be kind; it's not an announcer's voice. On the early train he is the luckless soul telling us he is; "In the midw of der trayn" and "There are deelays on the undergraand; Circw, Districkt and Norvern Lynes". It might be one of those occasions when it's OK to shoot the messenger.
Last Saturday it was different. "There aint no delays everyfink is working just right. 'Ope yous all 'ave a great time and see plenty of medws and enjoy yer Olympics".
Blimey! The packed train broke into spontaneous applause!
I arrived at a very different Waterloo; not the normal morose high-viz jacket wearers, engrossed in texting. On duty were the bright eyed Games Makers, eager and helpful.
I ventured a question; "Good morning, I've got an all zone travel card, am I better going to St Pancras and getting the Javelin, or go by tube from here, please?"
The grey haired bloke with the handle-bar moustache, cheeks as red as the cherry-top uniform, didn't hesitate; "Oh, you're nice and early old chap, jump on the Tube to Stratford; it'll take you right there. I hope you see plenty of medals - have a good day, enjoy your Olympics".
'Enjoy your Olympics'.... Wow, there it was again! And, do you know what, I think he meant it.
At Stratford we were cajoled, teased, sung to and stewarded by more happy, smiling faces. 'Have a nice day', gave way to 'gimme a high five' and again, 'enjoy your Olympics'. We swept through security and into the unreal world of the Olympic Park. A place that is safe and clean and staffed by people who really seem to care about what kind of an experience you have. There is no litter, no one frowning, no one unhappy.
By chance I had picked Super-Saturday but whatever the excitement created by the Olympians, the winning, the medals, the wave of enthusiasm, the noise, it was made even more memorable by the volunteers. They were fabulous.
I suspect, when the Olympics and Paralympics leave town, there won't be a politician who will not prey-in-aid the Olympics for this and that policy. Worse, I suspect, there will be no PowerPoint presentation that will not have a picture of a glistening eyed Olympian and a tubby manager standing in front of a screen telling us our workaday would change for ever if only we can duplicate the efforts of people we can never hope to emulate. Be sure to walk out!
Forget all that. Yes, the success and effort and achievements are heroic and epic, but there are two more things that will endure, could touch our lives and give us food for thought.
The first; John Major, when Prime Minister, made part of the National Lottery dedicated to funding and encouraging sport. Track the path of the funding to the increase in medals. When we stand in the queue to buy a Lottery ticket we make it possible for a youngster to run, jump and heave themselves to the top of the winner's rostrum. It must be worth a quid.
The second; volunteers. You probably know one. There are 70,000; you must live near one. The Games Makers are us, this nation; diverse, varied and assorted but they are young at heart and desperately want you to have a good time. Every manager should have a PowerPoint image of a Games Maker in their presentation and ask; how can we be like that?
Dedication to a cause, selflessness; from now on, anyone who pretends they can talk about leadership, pontificates about management, or lectures us on inspiration and motivation needs, first, to be sure they can spell out in plain English why the Games Makers volunteered, gave up holidays, laughed in the torrential rain (most of them never saw a live event) and committed themselves to making sure we all had a fabulous visit to 'Our Olympics'.
Many Games Makers work in the NHS. They will come back with a story to tell and we should listen carefully. They were trained by McDonald's!"
Wendy Moore, Volunteer Coordinator, Brisbane, Australia
December 4th, 2010, 1:58am
Thank you Steve and Susan for writing such a compelling article which aptly describes the differences between Volunteer Managers and HR Managers.
One other skill that volunteer managers possess, which you alluded to when you said "HR would go crazy at the patchwork quilt that defies neat scheduling and shifts", is the ability to problem solve. When a volunteer, you weren't expecting, suddenly appears and all of the tasks have been allocated; or when a volunteer decides that they feel like a sit down job today and you had allocated a more mobile job for them or visa versa; the problem solving must be subtle so that the volunteer is unaware of any dilemma and the volunteer should always feel valued, appreciated and needed.
Ruth Reko
November 2nd, 2010, 7:50am
Have you written about the difficulties inherent in having volunteer management in the Advancement/Development department recently? I keep hearing from agencies that are planning that placement. Thenks.
Susan Ellis
December 6th, 2010, 2:58pm
This is an excellent idea for a future Points of View -- thank you, Ruth! As you imply, being teamed with the development or fundraising staff brings a whole different set of problems, including: the "message" that volunteering is only another form of getting on the list to be asked for money; separation from the daily service delivery of the organization (even though volunteers are part of that); the potential for the volunteer resources manager to be diverted into work on major fundraising campaigns; and more. Stay tuned for a fuller discussion.
Jan Masaoka / Blue Avocado magazine
November 1st, 2010, 10:10pm
Another argument for the title Director of Volunteer Human Resources. Hang in there, Susie. Jan
Susie Kapelovitz, VC at St. Benedict's Health Center in Dickinson, ND 58601
October 29th, 2010, 4:29pm
I share the volunteer room with the HR person and she wants to take over the whole room with out the volunteers. This has made an uncomfortable working place. Some of the volunteers have felt the difference, not only my new area of office but their book keeping items get moved around a lot.
I have thought we should turn this over to the HR person, maybe not-I don't want the facility to lose volunteers and they don't feel comfortable with her.
What do I need to do?
Susan replies:
November 1st, 2010, 11:01am
Thanks for replying, Susie -- although your story is disheartening. Maybe you can share a copy of this article with her and open an honest discussion (she doesn't have to see your comment!)? My most important advice is to deal with it now, before the situation gets worse. You need to engage someone with executive power, who is on the organizational chart above both of you and can validate both your perspectives (hopefully, with more emphasis on YOURS). Also, have you considered getting some of the volunteers affected to meet with you about strategy -- and perhaps to take the HR person to lunch with you and talk it out?
Good luck. Don't let this fester.