When a Volunteer Departs
This week we are excited to feature guest blog writer; Lori Gotlieb. She is the founder of Lori Gotlieb Consulting as well as Co-developer and faculty for Humber College Volunteer Management Leadership Certificate. Lori is a well-respected author and subject matter expert and continues to challenge the boundaries of volunteerism to creatively engage communities with non-profit organizations and associations.To connect with Lori check out her website.
The following are some helpful tips for off boarding volunteers.
Develop a clear offboarding policy: Establish a standardized process for offboarding volunteers, which includes steps such as notification, exit interviews and post-departure follow-up.
Communication: Notify the volunteer about their offboarding in a timely manner and provide the reason for their departure if applicable.
Exit interviews: Conduct an exit interview with the volunteer to gather feedback on their experience, identify areas for improvement and learn about their reasons for leaving.
Show gratitude: Take the time to acknowledge the volunteer’s contributions. Whether you’re celebrating them at your annual meeting, hosting a farewell event or simply sending a personalized thank-you note.
Knowledge transfer: Ensure that the volunteer’s knowledge, skills, and experiences are documented and passed on. This is also a great opportunity to establish a mentorship opportunity for your incoming volunteers.
Reassignment opportunities: Of course, just because they’re no longer in a specific role, that doesn’t mean they’re out of the organization. Offering alternative volunteer opportunities can help re-engage your departing volunteers and avoid those hard feelings.
Things to consider:
Is there an opportunity to engage the volunteer in mentorship or coaching new volunteers?
Is there an opportunity to engage the volunteer in special projects.
Are there opportunities to acknowledge the volunteer in a public forum (award nomination, impact stories for publications)
Have you provided and/or reviewed the following:
Opportunity to provide feedback through exit survey or interview.
Letter of appreciation and/or certificate of appreciation
Final review and knowledge transfer
Informed appropriate volunteers/staff of exit.