When You Need to "Fire" a Volunteer

added by Tivix Team

Non-profit groups could not survive without the talent and contributions of the many volunteers who serve them well. Unfortunately, not all volunteers are equal contributors and some, in fact, may cost more to retain than their contributions are worth.

Starting With the End in Mind

The best way to avoid the need to "fire" anyone is to establish and communicate clear expectations from the outset. Volunteers should know what they're "signing on for" and what your expectations are. These might include: hours contributed, participation on sub-committees, quality of work output, professionalism in interactions with community members, etc. Whatever your criteria are they should be committed  to writing and clearly and regularly communicated to volunteers.

When Expectations Aren't Met

When expectations aren't met, you need to quickly and honestly give that feedback. This should be done:

• Immediately - avoid the temptation to "wait to see if things improve." They won't.
• Based on already communicated expectations. These serve as a baseline or "common ground" for discussion.
• With an open mind. Ask for feedback from the volunteer: "Tell me how you think this is going? What is working for you? What isn't?"
• Honestly. Share your perspectives based on observable, tangible evidence of ways in which the volunteer is not meeting expectations.
• With an eye toward preserving the relationship.

Going Separate Ways

After this conversation, several things may happen:

• Performance improves.
• You find another, more appropriate, role for the volunteer.
• The volunteer resigns.
• You need to ask the volunteer to step down.

If you feel a volunteer is requiring more effort or having more of a negative effect on your organization than positive, you need to move quickly to sever the ties, following the steps outlined above.