Are your employees like volunteers?

I bumped into one of my dog walking friends in the park this morning and we got to talking about work.

She is one of the managers at our local charity shop which is staffed almost entirely by volunteers.

One of her challenges relates to the way you motivate them.

Not being on the payroll, if they don't like what they are doing or feel you are not treating them properly,?they are likely to leave.

There are several differences when managing a volunteer workforce:

Motivation

Volunteers are usually motivated by a desire to contribute to a cause they believe in or to gain experience, while employees are usually motivated by compensation, benefits, and job security.

Commitment:

Volunteers often have limited availability and are not bound by a contract, whereas employees are expected to work specific hours, meet performance standards, and follow company policies.

Training:?

Employees typically receive formal training and ongoing professional development, while volunteers may require more informal training or on-the-job guidance.

Supervision:?

Volunteers often require more hands-on supervision and feedback, as they may have less experience or be less familiar with the organization's mission and culture.

Retention:?

Retaining volunteers requires different strategies than retaining employees, as volunteers are not motivated by the same incentives as employees, such as salary increases or promotions.

To manage volunteers effectively, it is essential to communicate clearly, provide training and support, show appreciation for their contributions, and create a positive culture that fosters a sense of community and belonging.?

At face value it seems managing volunteers is a very different proposition from managing full-time employees.

But is it?

I have been working on a new leadership course and have just finished the module on motivation.

In particular I have been revisiting the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivators.

The goal of all corporate incentive and motivation strategies is not to get people to do an OK job.

The motivation there is quite clear- if l don't meet a minimum standard I am probably going to get fired.

The purpose of corporate incentives is to encourage discretionary effort - helping people to go the "extra mile".

So in many ways it is very similar to motivating volunteers.

They can withhold their input altogether by just not turning up.

But your employees have the ability to withhold their discretionary effort and refuse to go above and beyond.

When this happens we end up with a team of average performers.

So take a look at the motivation approaches that you and your organization employs.

Are they more geared towards the non-commercial needs of the volunteer?

Or are they still stuck in the traditional extrinsic mode where doing X will get you Y?

Here's a little experiment.

Imagine for the next week that your team was made up entirely of volunteers.

How would you treat them differently.

Try treating them in this way for the next seven days and see what differences it makes.

Alternatively, stick to your current approach if you are happy with the results you are getting!

For discussions on any issues related to employee engagement and productivity, why not Ask The?Oracle.

Book a no obligation session here.

https://introwise.com/stephen-halligan/services/a5ccfb32bf