Digitising your hospice: A path to managing volunteers more effectively

As with recruitment, Volunteer Managers experience similar challenges with managing volunteers; with time being at the top of the list.

Firstly, it can take time to develop a rapport with volunteers as certain types of communication may resonate differently with each individual. For example, one volunteer may feel more comfortable with sitting down to have a conversation over a cup of tea, while another is happy to communicate via email.

Introducing a VMS shouldn’t drastically change how Volunteer Managers coordinate with volunteers. Instead, providing the option to message or self-serve with an online platform will give many volunteers the opportunity to engage in the way they feel most comfortable. This therefore allows you more time to provide the in-person or on-the-phone contact to those volunteers that prefer these approaches. 

Digitising your coordination processes enables both your Volunteer Managers and volunteers to build the required rapport to ensure tasks are managed and completed to the required standard. It also allows your hospice to provide a convenient, digital approach to communication, without removing the more traditional methods that a number of volunteers may be familiar with.

Put simply, volunteer management software provides a diversity of experience that helps to engage volunteers.

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

Challenge 1: Keeping track of communication

Communication is key. However, tracking communication between your Volunteer Managers and volunteers is equally as important. By consistently engaging with volunteers, it ensures that they are informed at all times and avoid feeling isolated. With these conversations being tracked, it ensures that no information is lost and can be referred back to at any time. 

Access Assemble solution: Engage in simple communication via our internal Message Centre

Access Assemble ensures simple communication is made possible via our internal Message Centre. This allows for two-way communication between Volunteer Managers and volunteers, ensuring that the latter remain informed at all times. And better still, the feature automatically saves these conversations, providing clarity for both parties. 

Challenge 2: Fitting into your volunteers’ schedule

We all acknowledge the busy schedule of volunteers. Not many people have “free time” - just time that they choose to prioritise  for volunteering. So, being flexible with when they can volunteer is something most organisations should look to offer. But this comes at a very complex and admin-heavy cost; which is where a VMS can help to support.

Access Assemble solution: Allow volunteers to choose their own shifts with self-serve rota functionality

Access Assemble’s rota functionality provides your volunteers with the freedom to choose their own shifts. This flexible approach allows volunteers to view your rota and choose vacant shifts that fit around their schedule, meaning that volunteers will step in to help even more if there’s a gap in the rota.

Challenge 3: Ensuring your volunteers understand assigned tasks

For many of your volunteers, this may be their first role for a hospice and may be inexperienced. While on-the-job learning is the norm for most roles, the volunteer’s experience can be made much easier if they understand what is required from the outset. By providing these key details, the volunteer is more likely to be successful within their role, while enjoying it in the process.

Access Assemble solution: Provide volunteers with detailed information via task management functionality

Access Assemble provides detailed task management functionality that helps to get the best out of your volunteers. Whether you wish to assign tasks that tap into the collective skills of your team or for specific volunteers, this feature provides all the key details to ensure the task is completed to the required standard. 
The ‘sensitive task’ setting also lets you safely share personal data directly with the assigned volunteers, making sure drivers or visitors know where they’re going and you don’t need to worry about where those details have been written down.

Challenge 4: Measuring the impact of your volunteers

Understanding the impact volunteers have on your organisation is crucial. Without this information, you won’t have visibility to data such as the tangible improvements to your hospice, the areas where volunteers have succeeded, and where improvements can be made. It’s therefore beneficial to gain full visibility of this information, enabling you to understand your volunteers and make informed decisions relating to where they are best suited for your hospice. 

Access Assemble solution: Gain a clear picture of volunteer impact by collecting details as they complete tasks 

Access Assemble provides you with a clear picture of your volunteers’ impact once tasks are completed. This can include measurable data such as how many people heard a talk they have given, along with more qualitative insights including how much they enjoyed taking part in their task(s). Based on this information, you can gain a clearer understanding of your volunteers’ strengths, weaknesses, and personality. This allows your Volunteer Manager to improve the volunteers’ experience by providing valuable feedback, while accommodating to their strengths. 

Digitising key areas of volunteer coordination is essential to building the strong foundations of a Volunteer Manager – volunteer rapport. With this established, both parties will have the level of trust and autonomy to work together in the best interests of your hospice. This ensures that tasks are carried out to the required standard, while saving valuable time along the way.