How digitising your hospice recruitment processes can support your Volunteer Managers

The old saying ‘there aren’t enough hours in the day’ isn’t a meaningless phrase; it’s an obstacle that we all face and your Volunteer Managers are no exception.

In the case of your Volunteer Managers, they will be taking on a number of recruitment-related tasks throughout their day-to-day. Whether this is writing opportunity adverts, posting them online, chasing references, or guiding applicants through the onboarding process, their time is stretched.

With this busy schedule, it’s often difficult for them to find the time to make sure volunteers are appropriately trained and supported, so that they’re as effective in their role as possible. This isn’t a quick process, but volunteers can support the work of a hospice, making it time well spent. Although taking this approach would help alleviate their schedule, it can become a vicious cycle whereby volunteers aren’t receiving valuable training, which then has the knock-on effect of the Volunteer Manager being swamped with numerous tasks.

Find out more about Access Assemble’s volunteer recruitment functionality

Digitising key areas of your hospice recruitment processes can be highly beneficial, not only to your Volunteer Managers, but to the overall running of your organisation. Implementing this solution allows you to safely recruit and onboard prospective volunteers, while saving valuable time in doing so.

Put simply, volunteer management software allows you to work smarter.

In this section, we outline several hospice recruitment areas that can be further developed with the support of volunteer management software, while applying Access Assemble’s features as an example.

Challenge 1: Consistently advertising attractive volunteer adverts

Advertising your vacant roles are the initial gateway to gaining a prospective volunteer’s attention. Whether this includes uploading new roles, removing old adverts, or simply trying to make them look appealing to the reader, it can be difficult to keep on top of these tasks. It’s therefore beneficial to have a system in place that allows you to swiftly manage your opportunities, while making them look appealing to prospective volunteers.  

Access Assemble solution: A recruitment microsite that allows you to create attractive role adverts

Access Assemble gives you your own dedicated recruitment site, embedded in your hospice’s website. By setting the templates, you can easily let your Volunteer Managers advertise their own opportunities as they require, safe in the knowledge that all the adverts will be accurate and on brand. All the essential information is there, so applicants can see what roles are available and decide whether to apply.

Challenge 2: Adhering to safeguarding compliance

It goes without saying that we all acknowledge the importance of safeguarding. However, this level of importance can lead to related tasks being time-consuming, while requiring a lot of manual administration. A VMS can help alleviate the time and hard work associated with this crucial area of your hospice.

Access Assemble solution: Reassuring reference and vetting management functionality

Access Assemble allows you to receive and save any reference and vetting management information within a central location. This ensures that all required steps have been taken regarding safeguarding and can be easily accessed at any time. This functionality allows you to:

• Gain references from previous employers of prospective volunteers
• Use questionnaires during the vetting process to gain a better understanding of the applicant
• Make an informed decision on whether the applicant will be a suitable fit for both parties

Challenge 3: Gaining full oversight of the application process

Knowing where your applicants are within the application process is fundamental to successful onboarding. Without a VMS, it can be difficult to reach out to your applicants if the process has stalled at a certain point. For this reason, it’s essential that your applicants are fully aware of what is required of them at each stage of the onboarding process, and that you have the oversight to provide support where necessary.

Access Assemble solution: Application management flags up where applicant has become dormant

Access Assemble automates most processes within the application process, which allows Volunteer Managers to be kept informed in relation to the applicant’s onboarding progress. This automated approach therefore saves valuable time when informing the applicant of how to achieve any outstanding requirements. This functionality allows you to:

• Receive automated messages when an applicant has become dormant
• Re-engage the applicant with any required support

Challenge 4: Storing applicant information from the outset 

Storing applicant data is a standard process. However, this could become challenging if it leads to chasing the applicant for this information, with the knock-on effect being that a seemingly minor admin task can divert your attention from more pressing activity that would otherwise help to develop your organisation. Implementing a piece of volunteer management software can therefore support you in avoiding this obstacle.  

Access Assemble solution: Applicant details saved from the outset

With Access Assemble, the applicant’s details are only asked for once. This information will be shared at each stage of the onboarding process and once submitted, will be saved within a central location. This means you can:

• Refer to this information whenever it is required
• Cut down on admin tasks
• Focus on priority areas of your organisation

Digitising important areas of hospice recruitment is paramount to making your Volunteer Managers’ role easier to onboard volunteers. With these effective steps in place, it allows their time to be more focused on recruitment-related tasks to support your goal in finding suitable volunteers to help your organisation thrive.