Volunteers leave organizations for various reasons. It’s like a revolving door that has been an age-old problem and concern for many nonprofits. There are many reasons why volunteers quit.

After years of working with volunteers and being a volunteer myself, I was able to make a list of the top reasons behind volunteers quitting.

The Top 12 Reasons Why Volunteers Quit

1. Volunteers are not inspired nor motivated by leaders. Leadership needs to see volunteers as a valuable part of their entity. Staff, program managers, as well as the executive team need to meet with volunteers on a regular basis. By doing this, volunteers will, in turn, be motivated and inspired by leaders. Volunteers need to see the organization’s leadership.
2. They are not treated as a part of the team or organization. Volunteers are not treated as staff members. Most organizations separate their staff and volunteers in many project activities. Volunteers need to feel as though they are a part of the team.
3. Volunteers are not trained. Organizations train their staff members, but they do not see the need to train their volunteers. Volunteers must feel they have the required knowledge and skills, and are adequately prepared for their assignments. In addition to providing training for their assignments, volunteers must receive ongoing training year round. This keeps them sharp and up to date on the most proficient ways to complete their task.
4. They are not celebrated. Volunteers are not honored or recognized for what talents they bring to the organization. Volunteers need recognition on a regular basis, not just once a year.
5. Volunteers are not contacted on a regular basis. Volunteers to be communicated with and contacted on a regular and ongoing basis. I would suggest using multiple ways of communication with volunteers, not just your typical email once a month.
6. They are not given clear expectations. They are not given specific roles, responsibilities, shift requirements, and boundaries. Volunteers need as much structure as possible. Don’t assume that all volunteers know what your organization expects of volunteers. It may be clear to you, but not to the volunteers. Just like employees and paid staff are given these things, volunteers should be given the same thing. They are able to do a better job when you provide specific expectations.
7. They are not given a voice. Volunteers are not given a voice in the organization. Their ideas may not be welcomed by the leaders. Agencies need to provide a platform where the volunteers can voice their opinions and ideas. You may be astounded at what they can bring to the table. This adds value to the volunteer program and to the volunteers.
8. They are not given organizational support. They are not getting the help when needed, and are not given feedback on their work performance. Volunteers need to given job performance reviews where their skills task performance is evaluated. In this review, the volunteers are also able to review their managers and the organization as a whole. The review helps the agency know what the volunteer needs are.
9. They are not given a job description. This goes along with providing clear expectations. Organizations give their paid staff members descriptions, so why shouldn’t volunteers have one as well. This allows the volunteer to see what they are required to do, just like a paid staff person. In turn, they feel as though they are a part of the team, and they know what the job entails.
10. Their skills are not maximized. Volunteers should not just be seen as manual laborers. They bring many talents and skills to an organization. Many times they are asked to do a task that does not fit their skill level, so they get bored and leave. Volunteers need to feel they are challenged and that their skill set is appreciated.
11. They feel alone and isolated. They need to feel as though they are a part of the team. Staff and leaders should connect with their volunteers at a deeper level. Volunteer meetings should include staff as well, as it’s an organizational leadership team. Volunteers should receive phone calls on a regular basis by its leadership team. Volunteers should not only be contacted when there is a project, but called just to say “Hi, how are you?” This makes the volunteer feel like they are appreciated as a human being, not as a set of hands that can complete a task.
12. They get burned out. Some organizations only use and rely on using a select few volunteers. In turn, those selected few get burned out quickly. The workload needs to be spread out evenly if possible. The work also will need to be exciting to the volunteers. They should not only be given a mundane task, but give them something they enjoy doing as well.

Results

By correcting these areas, you are more likely to see 3 things take place within your organization:

• Increased participation of volunteers
• Increased productivity of your volunteers
• Increased number of volunteers

Remember, happy volunteers are helpful volunteers!

Written by Marquetta Smith, Executive Director of Safe Harbor International Ministries