Director of Volunteers and Workforce for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Andrew Newman reflects on the 'best volunteer program in Games history' and how they worked alongside Rosterfy to achieve such greatness.
Throughout history, we’ve seen a handful of major shifts in the working landscape, dictated by the advent of new technology. The industrial revolution saw factories take over from agriculture, then the typewriter and telephone saw many people make the move towards office jobs (including women) in the 1950s and 60s. Then, the invention of the internet completely changed the way we work, and the level of connectedness we are now accustomed to.
Volunteers play a vital role in helping organizations deliver successful events and keeping day to day operations running smoothly. Whether it be helping with disaster relief efforts, supporting a major sports event or contributing to community service projects, volunteers are the backbone of any any nonprofit organization. However, on the odd occasion when things don’t go as planned and a volunteer is injured in their role or causes injury to another, questions around financial liability can arise. The main way that financial liability is managed in these types of circumstances is through insurance.
Your workforce is your company’s biggest asset. They are the face and brains of your business and determine the success or failure of it.
Diversity and inclusion are major elements in creating connected and thriving communities. This includes programs offered, services available, and the staff and volunteers that represent the communities they serve.
Data is key to a successful workforce program. The data from volunteers that we collect from registration forms helps us to better understand the wants and needs of our workforce, their availability as well as the skills and knowledge that they bring to the table. This then helps us to assign the right volunteer to the right opportunity.
It’s no secret that we all love our mobile phones. On average, people spend 5-6 hours on their phone each day and that’s not including the time that they use their phone for work! Whether it's scrolling through socials, researching a recipe, booking a holiday or shopping just because, our phones are glued to us 24/7. So how does this relate to volunteers?
Do you ever feel as if there aren’t enough hours in the days when it comes to managing your volunteer program? You’re not alone. Volunteer managers give 120% when it comes to providing their volunteers with the best possible experience but that often comes at a cost. Maybe a few too many late nights in the office? Too much tossing and turning at night as you stress about filling your roster? Or missed opportunities to really connect and get to know your volunteers?
While volunteers often choose to donate their time because they want to give back to their communities, making their experience engaging and rewarding is integral to ensuring a successful volunteer program.