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8 Tips To Onboard Your Event Volunteers
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A significant contributing factor to the success of any event is its volunteers. In fact, according to research, volunteers are the most fundamental aspect of large events like the Commonwealth Games and World Cups. Therefore, it is safe to say that having the best people volunteering for your event is crucial for it to be worthwhile.
However, the effectiveness of the process continues beyond just recruiting volunteers for your event. On the contrary, the onboarding of the volunteers influences the outcome of your event. This post discusses eight ways to create an effective onboarding experience for your volunteers.
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1. Extend a warm welcome
Start your onboarding with a warm greeting and let your volunteers know how much you appreciate their participation in your event. By agreeing to be part of your event, volunteers extend a favor to you at no additional pay. Therefore, it is vital that they feel welcomed. A warm welcome will set the right tone for the rest of the day.
2. Create a volunteer handbook
Provide your volunteers with a simple handbook that outlines everything they need to know about the event. Your volunteer handbook should contain your mission statement, code of conduct, and dress code, along with introducing the event management team. Including additional information like a packing list for the day, information about food, and volunteer perks can also help fill in the gaps for your volunteer team. The volunteer handbook also allows you to get your volunteer eager about working at your event, so make sure to add some pictures and fun additions to spark engagement.
3. Provide easy access to the event itinerary and shift schedule
Ensure that your volunteers have quick access to their shift schedules to reference as the event progresses. Bloomerang Volunteer allows volunteers to access their shift scheduling easily and notifies them when any changes occur throughout the day. The key here is ensuring your volunteers are confident when and where they need to be to volunteer are your event.
4. Openly communicate expectations
For your event to run smoothly, you will have specific ideas about how to handle things. Communicate these strategies openly with your volunteers. Provide a detailed description outlining what each role calls for, including skills and physical requirements. Your volunteers will know what they are signing up for by adequately communicating each position. This helps reduce conflicts and ensures that everyone has a positive volunteering experience.
5. Explain their impact
People do their best when they are aware of the impact of their actions. Inspire your volunteer to give their best effort by explaining how your event influences the community, cause, or charity related to your event. Using examples of the impact made by previous volunteers can help further illustrate the value of their hard work.
6. Promote networking
Promoting networking at your event can help volunteers build meaningful connections. Encourage your volunteers and team members to interact to create a fulfilling experience for everyone.
7. Take time to train
Your team must recognize the importance of training. As part of the onboarding process, allocate some time to train your volunteers so that they can work with minimum guidance on the day of the event.
8. Deploy according to interests
Make an effort to learn about the individual interests of your volunteers during onboarding and then assign them tasks accordingly. That way, you can ensure fewer hiccups during the event.
Onboarding is a pivotal part of managing volunteers at an event but is often overlooked. However, if you take some time and follow the tips mentioned above, you can ensure an effective onboarding process for your event volunteers.
Equip your volunteers and staff managers with the tools they need to deliver the best results on the event day. Bloomerang offers an all-in-one event staff and volunteer management solution that helps recruit, schedule, and manage volunteers.
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