Hello Friends,

What does your organization do to show appreciation to its volunteers? I've taken on the role of membership chair at W&W and have been trying different things to increase volunteerism, improve morale, and attract new members. Some of the things we've put together have been visits to local railroads for facility tours, history talks, and we just did a movie night. I'm interested in sharing ideas and building some best practices.

Thanks,

Jackets and hats come to mind, I think everyone is familiar with those.

We got something different one year, they gave us insulated lunch coolers. They were soft sided, so you could fold them up, and had the railroad logo on them.

Food at work sessions can go a long way...... along with clearly defined goals and procedures so that everybody knows how what they contribute fits into the result they have all signed on to produce.

A yearly meeting (dare I say; quarterly?) that includes EVERYONE, from the toilet scrubbers to the President and everyone in between, that also outlines the goals; whats been accomplished, what wasn't accomplished, what the numbers were, (financial and total visitor numbers) where said organization excelled and where it didn't and what is the plan of action for the coming season and what is expected of everyone to make the coming season even better than the last. Not just a banquet that honors this or that and has really no purpose other than that of a ladies society/bridge club meeting.

Hats and jackets are lovely, but to this 30 something, its pure "give the dog a bone" treatment that's all but a reminder of a corporate dictatorship giving the jelly of the month club bonus instead of a cash bonus at Christmas. When I volunteer for somthing, I'd rather be rewarded with a good gathering of friends, with good food as Dave mentioned, with the topics discussed and it all done well, to show all - including prospective members - that said organization cares about everything and everyone that makes it happen.

Just my opinion.

We host an annual recognition meeting in May and look for opportunities to thank people in the newsletter and Facebook during the year. Several members have also been nominated for recognition with County volunteer awards.

Wesley

Even having some of the officers and other insiders say "Thank you" can be an incentive to the workers.

Yeah, I don't really care about plaques, caps, etc.... I have more than I need of all this sort of thing. What I appreciate most is a lot of no BS, clear tracking of progress towards goals, sharing good relevant information about where we are and what we need to get where we want to go, and a good action plan to get there and how we can contribute most meaningfully to it. Making a nice social situation out of it is even better...... but no tedious speeches and rubber chicken, please. Any of you who belong to organizations with a BOD that sits and talks and never tells you what's going on, or what they are deciding and why, or asks for input about such, and lives from one crisis du jour to another repeatedly as if it has never happened before know why this is of primary importance.

I would agree. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. I'd say that at least a yearly "thank you" gathering should be a requirement for just about any volunteer organization, whether it's a Holiday Party, Summer Cookout, whatever.

I think volunteer appreciation should be both intrinsic and extrinsic. As in all learning experiences, he optimal experience is a balance of each.

Examples of intrinsic volunteer rewards could be:
-Learning a new skill which you value
-Contributing time to the restoration of something you want to see restored
-volunteering at an event which you feel is beneficial to the community at large.

Examples of extrinsic volunteer rewards could be:
-Having complete freedom in choosing the hours you want to volunteer (rather than a set schedule)
-being able to participate in train operations when you reach a certain number of volunteer hours (which has the added benefit of making sure the volunteer is aware of and comfortable with museum regulations and culture)
-providing meals for volunteers (either regularly or ocassionally)
-having a volunteer dinner
-recognizing volunteers for their participation in a newsletter, publication, etc.

These are just a couple- but I think it is important to make sure that both the intrinsic and extrinsic appreciations are well planned and neatly executed.

Steve Piwowarski

So often volunteers work on some small bit. Pictures of the finished product can go a long way toward making them feel proud of what they have done.

Several years ago I volunteered at Osier on the Cumbres and Toltec. Ted and Nancy Norcross collected old square nails as the station was being rebuilt and created "square nail gang" name badges. Gives me a connection to that job which is kinda cool. You had to be up to Ted's standards before ya got a badge!

If volunteers provide their own hardhats, I see plenty with stickers for places they volunteer.

Keep your volunteers happy! (And well fed, that is a biggie).

I've always liked the recignition of how many hours someone has put in.

Promotions also ought to be public, first because they're a big deal and second because it reminds those who are just starting that after X number of hours with so much effort they'll be on that list, too.

About jackets, hats etc.: if you can get your volunteers to wear them in public, they'll make people ask "Where is that, anyway? Is it nice? We didn't know if it was still open..." and so on. I wear that stuff because I don't mind being a walking billboard :) but some do, and some just plain have enough jackets and such already.

The flexible hours perk is a definite good one. It isn't always possible, but if your basic needs are covered, it's good to have extra people able to stop in and take care of the one-person tasks that need done without a particular schedule. After a volunteer establishes their ability to work on task alone, by all means encourage them.

(Of course there are jobs that require either a certain number of workers or those with specific skills, but if you've been meaning to get a coat of paint on that side of the shop before winter and it's a nice fall day, anyone who shows up may be willing to pick up a brush. Off-season work days can be drop-in friendly, too. Having somebody at the facility now and then over the winter can discourage vandals and makes it more likely that someone will spot developing problems like an ice-dammed roof or malfunctioning furnace.)

Communicate… frequently… via email, via snail mail newsletters, in person… communicate!

Never waste a volunteer’s time… have a job for them to do, and supplies and tools to do it. If things change (and they are less needed) call them and tell them
Always thank a volunteer… repeat… repeat again. (this is hard, particularly if you are a paid employee with other duties… I would set a timer and be there when a docent finished their shift… and share a cup of coffee and talk, and particularly thanks)

Feed them… informally with donuts and coffee or bagels and coffee early… in the west we sometimes do Breakfast burritos…

Feed them lunch… BBQ chicken, or pizza… or???... This is so important, that I have learned to cater… I can do a Cajun lunch… an enchilada lunch… I can (with notice) serve 50 people lunch… and say “this is for you… thanks… “

Listen to them… communicate to them, openly, about what is happening… never, ever ignore them…

Have occasional gatherings (with both historical and social elements) and feed them…
Say Hi, know their name (I personally forget names… I have in the past had a photo book with photos of volunteers and names to aid my memory.. this is really important…)
I kept a couple of 12 packs of beer and some champagne in a (cool) closet… and could celebrate an informal event… A good work day… a personal milestone… just a nice informal gathering.

Much of what you learn to thank volunteers is the same process and skills needed to than sponsors and donors… you can serve two groups with one set of skills…

Randy

"Feed them lunch… BBQ chicken, or pizza… or???... This is so important, that I have learned to cater… I can do a Cajun lunch… an enchilada lunch… I can (with notice) serve 50 people lunch… and say “this is for you… thanks… “

Ha. That's a good one. I volunteer at a major museum where a museum official was overheard to say, and I quote, "Anyone who comes here thinking we'll feed them has another think coming." Why do I stick around? Because it's close to home and I brown-bag.

On the other hand, I also volunteer from time to time at a different museum that feeds up to 90 volunteers lunch and supper for three or four days!

When your organization is in a place that's not only "off the beaten path" but at best has a small supermarket and maybe one fast-food place and one pizza shop in town (if that), the logistics of feeding and hospitality are all the difference between getting someone to show up for a couple hours versus spending a week doing productive work.

At least one museum I know of in the Northeast, and several in the U.K., have sections of their work space set up like a hostel, with fully equipped kitchens (so a "spousal unit" can make dinner for ten or more), showers, and futons for sleeping. One I know of also has space set aside for campers to hook up and park for days or weeks.

If you make it easier and more comfortable for folks to stay, they can get a LOT more done.

Eating lunch at least together is indeed a big deal. Camaraderie can be a big draw, whether or not food service is provided. This past year for one day I had to demand that lunch be 1/2 hour because of scheduling with a RR employee. I almost had a mutiny on my hands! The together time over lunch was really important to my team.