Volunteers play an integral role in any event. You can leverage the resources to assist with any onsite logistics including set up, registration, Q&A, greeters, and badge checkers. So help them, help you make your life easier!
To ensure efficient volunteer management, we recommend the following practices:
- Volunteer orientation – Providing an orientation onsite is very important in determining how prepared your volunteers will be. Make sure you do a thorough orientation and go over all roles.
- Review FAQ & tip sheets – Creating a FAQ and tip sheet is helpful for volunteers to prepare before the event. This will give them background information on the event and what is expected of them. Go over these documents to ensure all volunteers are on the same page.
- Communication- make sure to pre-communicate with the volunteers with clear and detailed information on (parking, timeline, attire etc).
- Venue walk through – Walk through the space with all your volunteers. They should know where each part of the programming is taking place so they can answer guests’ questions and be self-sufficient.
- Pre-assign volunteer roles – Planning volunteer roles ahead of time will show you exactly where you will need assistance, how many volunteers you will need, and allow you to see which roles need to be filled. On the day of the event, you can always switch volunteer roles around if needed. Do plan for some no shows.
- Provide breaks: Be sure to provide all volunteers with a break and food when appropriate.
- Thank your Volunteers: If you have a thank you card or gift bag to give to volunteers that is always a plus. They are volunteering their time to assist you, so make sure you show your thanks after the event is over.
Volunteers can be a great asset to your next event. Make sure you plan accordingly and take our tips and tricks to have efficient volunteer management.