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Did you know it is much easier to keep a volunteer than to get a new one? If we all just kept the volunteers we had gained through the years, we wouldn’t have a shortage! So, how do we keep them? Keep reading to find out:
- The difference between recognition and appreciation (and why it matters)
- The five main reasons why volunteers quit and where volunteer appreciation makes a difference
- Why you don’t need a budget to do a great job at volunteer appreciation
- The #1 most seriously unforgettable volunteer appreciation idea that never gets old
We’re going to dive into some of the basics of volunteer appreciation. Then, we will go over how to do an amazing job with it in smaller churches, even if your budget is smaller.
The Difference Between Recognition And Appreciation
Recognition and appreciation often get lumped into the same definition, but they are very different and are both important in their own excellent way. Recognition is a ‘thank you’ for doing a good job, for a milestone you achieved, or even for a project you completed. It is recognizing your volunteers and acknowledging that they did a certain task. We want to recognize when people do things. Recognition often involves awards and certificates too. Celebrating achievements, like completing volunteer training, can actually give volunteers more of an incentive to achieve things.
Appreciation has more to do with the person than the task. This is when we notice the value in who a person is rather than a specific achievement they accomplished. This might look like checking in on volunteers, letting them know that you care. Appreciation could be expressed through special notes or a little gift now and then to let them know that you are grateful for who they are. Even though recognition motivates people to keep serving, appreciation goes deeper than that. When people feel valued, their loyalty increases and they are more likely to work harder, show up more regularly, and be happier serving.
Although recognition and appreciation have some overlap, one without the other is lacking. We need to thank people for a job well done, while also appreciating them for who they are. Regarding appreciating and recognizing volunteers, which one do you lean more toward? Even though many people have a certain preference, keep in mind that a mix of both recognition and appreciation is the best plan!
Focus On The People Who Are Currently Volunteering
It’s much easier to keep the volunteers that you currently have than to find new volunteers. Therefore, rather than spending so much time and energy trying to recruit new volunteers, try to spend a little more time and energy on keeping the volunteers that are currently serving with you. This goes beyond mere volunteer appreciation. We need to set them up for success, and support them with training and resources. However, appreciation is equally important!
Keep in mind, that there are two things that we need to think about: retention and satisfaction. Meaning, how long do your volunteers stay, but also, how happy are they to be volunteering?
So, how would appreciation keep people from quitting?
5 Main Reasons People Leave
Often, people don’t leave because they’re “too busy”. It’s because they either don’t feel needed or capable. Some people leave because they don’t have good relationships within the team or their input isn’t valued. They could also leave because there’s no good leadership.
Notice that, with the first two reasons, they aren’t leaving because they aren’t needed or capable, they leave because they don’t feel needed or capable. Recognizing someone’s work speaks to that. If someone recognizes that you did a job well, then you also feel capable.
The third reason that I showed has to do with having good relationships on the team. Appreciating someone for who they are is a huge part of building relationships. Seeing someone beyond what they do is so encouraging and builds beautiful relationships. If a volunteer believes that their input isn’t valued, then this has to do with appreciation as well. However, if people leave because there isn’t good leadership, remember that recognizing and appreciating your team is a big principle in good leadership.
6 Ways To Appreciate Volunteers Without A Budget
The biggest expressions of volunteer appreciation cost zero dollars, and, not surprisingly, they are very Jesus-like. Here are a few things that mean a whole lot more to volunteers than a coffee cup filled with candy.
1. Trust Your Volunteers
Give volunteers meaningful tasks and significant ministry jobs. Trusting your volunteers makes them feel appreciated and valued. Are you giving them more things to do as “helpers” or significant things that grow them as people of influence?
2. Surprise People By Seeing Them
Develop your vision to see beyond what people do to who they are, and let them know! Be spontaneous in your volunteer appreciation. People expect a thank you after an event. They might expect a token at the end of the year, but when you can surprise them, it means so much more.
It can be a handwritten note, but it doesn’t have to be. It could be a text, a call, or even a mention at the team meeting. Make sure that it’s all about who they are, rather than what they did. I cannot emphasize enough that this is unusual. It is surprising to be seen in a world so jumbled with busyness and self-preservation. Be someone who sees people as Jesus did!
3. Consistent Communication
Go the extra mile to keep them in the loop. If you’re in the inner circle of anything, you know what’s going on and where everything is going. If you’re never sure what’s going on, then you’re on the outside. Too many times, team members are kept on the outside. If you value your current volunteers and appreciate them, you won’t just keep them in the loop, they will be a part of it. Ask for their input and listen to their concerns, hopes, and ideas. Include them as decisions are being made, so that they don’t hear about it after the fact.
4. Share A Symbol
Consider something that symbolizes your team or mission. It would even be better if there’s a personal story attached. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be ordinary like a penny or stone. Whatever your symbol is, it becomes a tangible reminder of the fact that they are a part of the team, and is a direct symbol of your genuine gratitude. It’s super special if it’s an ordinary item that becomes special because of the story it’s attached to.
5. Training
Did you know that training your volunteers is a part of volunteer appreciation? It shows value. Firstly, it shows value in the position that they have. It also shows that you value the volunteers because you want them to succeed. In addition to this, it shows that you believe they are capable of doing this job well. Don’t forget to celebrate them upon the completion of the training too.
6. Serving Alongside Family And Friends
Many small churches have core families. Sometimes this is the pastor’s family or even just families who are serving together and bearing a lot of weight. Are you one of these families? If you are, I want to encourage you to do something special to appreciate a family member or friend this week. Take them out for lunch, write a sweet note, or send them an unexpected text letting them know that you appreciate them. It’s easy to take our family members and friends for granted.
If you aren’t that family, but you see that family, let those people know that you see and appreciate them. As a pastor’s wife who’s served in a lot of unseen ways and raised kids who’ve done the same, I haven’t always done a good job of appreciating all they are or recognizing what they do. I don’t think I’m alone in this either. Please, see these people, and let them know that you do. If you have those kids at your church, make sure to give a shout-out or a special thank you to those whom we tend to take for granted.
#1 Most Unforgettable Volunteer Appreciation Idea
You can use this at VBS, a retreat, with children and adults, or even on a Sunday morning. Something that is much better than regular handwritten notes, and will never cease to make you smile, is care cards. Care cards build community and deepen relationships. They express amazing appreciation in a unique way, and they are a great way to teach and empower others to extend volunteer appreciation too! Your volunteers will develop more appreciation for each other, and also learn some skills to gain confidence in sharing. They break down barriers and deepen relationships. This is the core of ministry.
What Are Care Cards?
A few years ago, my kids came home from a youth mission trip with some paper lunch bags that looked crumpled and stepped on. However, inside these unassuming paper bags were invaluable treasures. Inside, were written notes signed by someone from the trip. Leaders, peers, and friends wrote little words of encouragement and gratitude and gave it to them. These were priceless and irreplaceable. If care cards work on mission trips, why not use them in other places of ministry as well?
The idea is to encourage people to appreciate each other. Be intentional about when you want to use these cards. Maybe it’s once a year, at a special event, or even a chosen time when you want to appreciate people. Whenever you do it, make it special. You may use this for the team to appreciate each other, or even for the whole church to appreciate not only the work of your volunteers, but who they are as people.
Keep in mind, that you’re going to need a space to display a bunch of little paper bags. You’ll want to write every volunteer’s name on a bag, and you can even add their position title or what they do. Then, cut some paper into 3” x 2” pieces. You want to encourage others to write notes of appreciation. If you cut the paper too big, it feels too intimidating and no one will do it. However, the smaller pieces help people know that they can write short, 1-2 sentence notes.
The Key To Success
Explain the care card board to your volunteer team or whoever is participating. Let people know that the care card board is the best way to encourage each other. Tell them to not just thank people for what they do, but also to recognize who they are. Initially, many people will feel insecure about writing notes. To help them feel more confident, print a sheet of writing prompts and ideas, along with a list of positive adjectives that they can use. Post this idea sheet on your display and see where it goes!
Read More:
A “Thank You” That Your VBS Volunteers Will Treasure – Small Church Ministry
