An employee volunteer team (EVT) is an independent team dedicated to organizing and running your employee volunteer program (EVP). Comprised of enthusiastic employees, an EVT can share the responsibilities for managing your business’s volunteer program. It’s an efficient way to get employees involved and excited about your company’s volunteering efforts.
RECRUIT LEADERS AND MEMBERS
To form your own EVT, it’s a good idea to appoint a team captain and co-captain responsible for managing the team. After one year, your co-captain can be appointed captain, and a new co-captain can be elected or appointed by the team. This ensures fresh ideas and gives others a chance to lead the team. If a senior-level employee is part of your EVT (which can validate its importance) be sure that they aren’t in a leadership position.
Include a question on an employee volunteer survey so that employees can express interest in joining your team. Have a space on the survey so that respondents can include their name and contact information. A team leader or existing member on the team can then recruit these new members.
DIVIDE AND ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITIES TO YOUR TEAM
A successful EVT divides up and assigns responsibilities for planning, promoting, and managing the program to its members. By making one employee responsible for each task, your volunteer activities will run smoothly and efficiently.
Some examples of tasks to assign include:
PRE-ACTIVITY
- Early communication with the nonprofit: your company’s responsibilities for the activity, how progress will be tracked, etc.
- Early communication with employees before the activity: promotion, registration, reminders, and so on
- Event logistics and transportation
DURING ACTIVITY
- Event setup and tear down
- Taking photos, recording video, or posting live social media updates
POST-ACTIVITY
- Employee feedback or reflections, which can be shared in NobleHour
- Retrieving data and a customized NobleHour report
- Company-wide communication on how the activity went
- Public communication on your website, social media channels, or email newsletters
Remember that the responsibilities of an EVT go beyond organizing one volunteer event. Empower your EVT members by letting them brainstorm future volunteer projects, large and small. For example, your team can organize local park cleanups or walk-a-thons. Smaller projects that don’t require traveling outside of the office are a helpful way to increase employee engagement, too. Set up an area in the office to collect food or school supplies for local organizations. Furthermore, make sure administrative duties are assigned to members as well. An EVT member should be responsible for welcoming new members and informing them of the next volunteer activity. This ensures that new members feel included and everyone is engaged.
RECOGNIZE YOUR EVT’S HARD WORK
Lastly, don’t forget to show appreciation for your EVT’s efforts. Your EVT can nominate employees who volunteered for awards, such as “raised the most funds” or “engaged other employees most.” Managers or your EVT can make the final selections, or you may leave the nominations up to a vote. Recognizing your employees for their volunteer contributions shows that you have noticed their skills or growth outside of their typical work duties.
And if you’re looking to manage your EVT with a tool that makes it easy, check out NobleHour today.
Since 2007, NobleHour has proven to be the volunteer management solution for organizations across the nation. Our plug ‘n play software connects companies, and individuals with nonprofits. Volunteer, measure the good you’re doing, and share it with others.
With offices in Lakeland, FL, and Portland, OR, the we are dedicated to empowering good in communities across the country.
By NobleHour Staff:
Allison Hale
Director of Marketing
TreeTop Commons
Portland, Oregon
Allison is the Director of Marketing for TreeTop Commons, and its products; NobleHour and Collaboratory. A Portland native, Allison volunteers regularly for community nonprofits that support sustainability programs, and at her childrens’ school teaching art literacy. |
