5 Ways To Get The Most Out of Your Volunteer Scheduling Tool

Many nonprofit organizations want to do as much good in the community as possible given their current resources. At the same time, many nonprofit managers feel that their organization is not reaching its full potential. That “missing piece” may be efficient volunteer management software and scheduling tools. These can ease some of the daily headaches volunteer managers face while keeping volunteers engaged, increasing your organization’s impact on the community.

If your nonprofit has yet to invest in volunteer management software, it could be one of the best things you can do to increase productivity and reduce no-shows. If you already have a volunteering scheduling tool or are looking for a new one, here are five ways to ensure you get the most out of it.

1. Find a Fast, User-Friendly Tool

Gone are the days when volunteer managers must contact volunteers individually and create manual schedules. Instead, finding a volunteer management software tool that allows volunteers to sign up on their own can save your organization several hours each week. Ensuring that your volunteer management tool is also quick and user-friendly is vital, as a complicated sign-up procedure can be enough to drive potential volunteers away.

2. Match Volunteers to Appropriate Roles and Shifts

Volunteer engagement is critical in keeping volunteers coming back and reducing costly turnover. One fundamental way to ensure volunteers have an enjoyable, impactful experience is by matching them to roles they are qualified for and interested in. This makes the shift more gratifying for volunteers and can help organizational procedures run more smoothly by having the right people perform each task.

3. Manage Schedules on Mobile Devices

Those who manage volunteers on a day-to-day basis or during special events understand the appeal and importance of being able to manage schedules from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Having access to a master schedule on the go can keep everyone on the same page and reduce the number of inevitable hiccups that occur during events.

4. Provide Automated Shift Reminders and Self Check-in

Anyone who works in the nonprofit sector knows that volunteer no-shows happen. One way to combat this is by choosing a volunteer management system that automatically sends volunteers reminders about their upcoming shifts. This can reduce scheduling miscommunication and forgotten shifts, significantly reducing the number of no-shows. Volunteer management software that also supplies a self-check-in option on volunteers’ smartphones or other devices is another way to make the volunteering process harmonious, encouraging them to return for more shifts week after week.

5. Measure Volunteer’s Impact and Create Comprehensive Reports

Your organization and its volunteers work hard to do as much good as possible, but how much impact does your nonprofit have? Volunteer management software can make collecting and interpreting volunteer impact data a smooth, painless process in sharp contrast to many organizations’ manual data collection procedures. It can also help you generate comprehensive reports that can help evaluate current procedures’ efficiency and make any necessary changes. You can share these reports with donors or board members, giving them evidence that their donations genuinely impact the community.

Bloomerang Volunteer’s Management Solution

If your organization doesn’t yet use volunteer management software, or you are looking for new tools that have all the features listed above, look no further than Bloomerang’s Volunteer Management Solution software.