Motivating Volunteers for Association Managers

As a foundation or association manager, you are probably aware that volunteers are the heart and soul of your organization. The motivation of these individuals, who help your association achieve its goals without any personal gain, is crucial for the organization’s success. So, as an association manager, what can you do to motivate volunteers? Let’s explore what to do in 6 items:

1. Know the Reasons for Volunteering
   Find out why volunteers are participating in your association's work. To engage and motivate them, you need to understand their reasons. This could be social consciousness, a desire to learn new things, or the wish to socialize. As the manager, it is your duty to learn why volunteers are involved and to shape your motivation strategy accordingly. Remember that each individual has their own reasons and goals.

2. Communicate
   Perhaps the most effective way to increase volunteer motivation is through communication with the manager of the association. You will have the chance to manage the expectations and responsibilities of your volunteers thanks to well-planned mutual communication methods. Making them feel that you listen to their ideas and that they are important will significantly increase motivation in parallel with the sense of belonging.

3. Show Your Appreciation
   Volunteers do not earn any income for the work they do for your association. Regardless, everyone wants to know they are at least appreciated for their efforts. When volunteers do not see the results of their efforts, their ties with the association begin to weaken, and if this continues, they may break their ties with the association. While a simple thank you is often enough, occasionally organizing awards, incentives, or events to highlight the results of your volunteers' efforts can also be beneficial.

4. Show Them How They Made a Difference
   Let volunteers see the results of their efforts to motivate them. Every individual is happy with results that are worth their effort. For example, if your association is involved in treating sick animals, allow your volunteers to interact with the recovered animals. For an animal lover, there is nothing more motivating than seeing a healthy, happy animal they helped.

5. Get Social Recognition
   To motivate volunteers, use the channels your association constantly broadcasts through, such as social media accounts. Introduce your volunteers to your followers with photos shared on major platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Talk about what they do and the value they add. Let your volunteers see the comments and the number of likes. The comments and thank-you messages from your association’s followers will quickly boost motivation.

6. Be With Them
   Do not forget that your volunteers have their own lives outside their activities with your association, and they experience good and bad moments. Make gestures to show that you are with them even if you cannot attend sensitive events like illnesses, funerals, weddings, and similar occasions. This will make them feel noticed and supported.

Motivating volunteers is vital for foundations and associations. Of course, it may not be possible to know everyone personally, but thanks to Aidango, you can access detailed data about your volunteers. You can easily view their responsibilities, the extent to which they have accomplished these responsibilities, their personal data, and much more through Aidango modules.

Aidango, as Turkey's only ERP software for associations, offers a comprehensive solution that provides all the components and services needed for managing your association, including the data required to motivate volunteers.