Finding Volunteers for Your Nonprofit During the Great Resignation

​Workers quit their jobs in droves in the middle of 2021, and while many companies held out with reduced staff, millions of employees are still refusing to return to work until things change. So what does that mean if you’re a nonprofit trying to find volunteers?

​There’s a misconception among nonprofits that if companies can’t pay employees to come back to work, what chance do nonprofits have of finding volunteers to work for free? I like to look at the times we’re going through differently, so let’s take a closer look at what’s really going on with this so-called Great Resignation.

​Understanding the Great Resignation Before Finding Volunteers

​First, we have to understand what the Great Resignation is really about. Yes, a lot of people quit their jobs because they were tired of being underpaid, but that has not been the case for everyone participating in the Great Resignation. Many others are simply overworked, burnt out, and tired of working jobs that don’t make them feel fulfilled, and that creates a great opportunity for nonprofits to step in and offer work that does make people feel fulfilled, even if it’s unpaid work.

​Even better, volunteering has been shown to improve mental health, especially when it comes to reducing stress and overwhelm and increasing a sense of fulfillment. When you position it that way, finding volunteers should be easier than ever during one of the most stressful times of our generation.

​Communicating Value When Trying to Find Volunteers

​Aside from salary, finding volunteers is not all that different from finding paid employees. People look online for volunteer opportunities. They ask their friends and family members if they know of any nonprofits trying to find volunteers. When they find a posting for a volunteer position they might be interested in, they’re going to investigate the nonprofit to make sure it aligns with their values, in addition to investigating the role and expectations for the volunteer position itself.

​This means you need to clearly communicate the mission of your nonprofit and have it prominently placed on your website so visitors can easily find it when they’re browsing your site. You also need to clearly communicate the tasks you expect your volunteers to complete, but also what kind of impact they’ll be making on their community through the volunteer position. Will they be helping animals find their furever home? Will they be helping guide at-risk youth towards constructive projects and opportunities for further education? People volunteer to make a difference in the world, so tell them what that difference will be.

​Partner with Smart Companies to Find Volunteers

​Some companies are digging in their heels and refusing to improve their work environment to attract more employees, but other companies are getting creative about the ways in which they’re attracting workers. Many have offered higher salaries, but others are looking for ways to create a company culture that’s in alignment with their employees’ values, and one of the ways some companies are doing that is by starting a volunteer program for their workers.

​Companies that offer a volunteer program report a reduction of stress and overwhelm among their employees, which leads to increased productivity, even if they take paid time off to volunteer. A volunteer program is also a great way for a company to give back to its local community and foster a healthy company culture, which reduces turnover and saves them money.

​Companies that offer a volunteer program are a great resource for nonprofits trying to find volunteers, so see which companies in your area offer a volunteer program. If you can’t find any, or if you can’t find one that’s a good fit, pitch a volunteer program to one of your local companies and offer to partner with them to create it. There’s no reason nonprofits and for-profit companies can’t work together to survive the Great Resignation.

​As a business coach who specializes in helping nonprofits, one of my sweet spots is helping nonprofits find volunteers as well as staff. If you need help recruiting works (paid or otherwise) for your nonprofit, schedule your FREE clarity call now to find out how I can help you.