Volunteers play a vital role in many organisations, particularly in the non-profit, healthcare, educational, and community service sectors.
While volunteer recruitment is often seen as separate from traditional human resources (HR) functions, integrating HR into this process can significantly enhance the effectiveness, sustainability, and strategic alignment of volunteer programmes to your overall organisational strategy. Here’s why HR involvement is not just beneficial – but essential – in volunteer recruitment.
1. Ensuring the Right Fit
Just like paid employees, volunteers should be matched to roles that align with their skills, interests, and values. HR professionals are trained in assessing competencies, conducting interviews, and developing job descriptions—all of which can help ensure volunteers are placed in roles where they can thrive. A strong match reduces turnover and increases volunteer satisfaction and impact.
2. Enhancing Recruitment Strategies
HR brings expertise in recruitment marketing, sourcing strategies, and candidate engagement. Applying these to volunteer recruitment can help organisations attract a more diverse and qualified pool of candidates. HR can assist in crafting compelling volunteer role descriptions, optimising application processes, and promoting opportunities through the right channels.
3. Building a Structured Onboarding Process
First impressions matter. Volunteers who receive a structured onboarding process are more likely to feel connected to the organisation and stay engaged longer. HR departments typically have processes in place for onboarding new hires, and these can be adapted to provide volunteers with essential training, orientation, and resources to succeed from day one.
4. Promoting Legal and Ethical Compliance
Volunteer programs are not exempt from legal and ethical standards. Background checks, confidentiality agreements, and safety training may be necessary depending on the nature of the volunteer work. HR professionals are well-versed in these requirements and can help ensure that volunteer programs operate within the appropriate legal framework, mitigating potential risks.
5. Improving Volunteer Retention and Engagement
Retention is as crucial for volunteers as it is for employees. HR can provide insight into motivation, engagement strategies, and performance management that help volunteers feel recognised, valued, and aligned with the mission. Implementing feedback systems, recognition programs, and growth opportunities are areas where HR can make a significant difference.
6. Aligning Volunteer Roles with Organisational Goals
HR ensures that every human resource—paid or unpaid—is working toward the organisation’s mission. Involving HR in volunteer recruitment ensures that roles are strategically aligned with organisational goals and that volunteer contributions are integrated into overall workforce planning.
7. Supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives should extend to volunteers as well. HR departments are increasingly equipped to design inclusive recruitment processes and foster a welcoming environment for all individuals. Involving HR can help ensure that volunteer programs reflect and serve diverse communities effectively.
Volunteers are a valuable asset to many organisations, and their recruitment should be treated with the same level of care and strategy as any other human capital initiative.
By involving HR in the recruitment of volunteers, organisations can enhance their ability to attract, retain, and empower individuals who are committed to their cause. The result is a more professional, inclusive, and effective volunteer program that contributes meaningfully to organisational success.