The Top 4 Reasons You Need Volunteer Management Software

As a volunteer coordinator, you’re probably spending your time managing time sheets, arranging events for your community, recruiting new volunteers, and directing the ones who are returning. It’s not surprising that many volunteer leaders are frustrated that there’s too little time in the day to get everything completed.

In the end, companies often resort to an array of time-tracking devices and forms to help them get through the day-to-day. But, this could cause data issues and a lack of organization later on.

Do you feel the same way? Perhaps it’s time to consider investing in a volunteer management system. In this post, we’ll dive into the top four reasons to use software for managing volunteers, and we’ll discuss how to locate the best solution for your company.

Volunteer management: What exactly is it?

Let’s begin with the fundamentals. As you’ve probably guessed volunteering management is the recruitment, engagement and retention of a committed set of people.

If an organization develops an effective strategy for managing volunteers and develops an organization-wide volunteer program that is in line with or even exceeds their organization’s objectives. But there are times when the daily tasks are too much for one person. Many volunteer managers use software for managing volunteers to help them cope with the daily tasks.

What are the daily assignments of a volunteer?

Based on our experience volunteers are typically the ones who have multiple responsibilities. In many cases volunteers are responsible for

Promoting their program
Recruiting and training volunteers
Compiling year-end volunteer data
Contacting volunteers
Keeping track of volunteer hours
Coordinating events

The software for volunteer management is device that aids organizations in streamlining the routine tasks of a volunteer program including programs, events, regular volunteer opportunities, and other initiatives in a single platform. This type of software typically includes a range of volunteer recruiting, scheduling and engagement tools as well as a secured database of the volunteer’s information.

Volunteer managers can make use of software designed to manage volunteers to keep track of information from the software, such as:

volunteer registration
event check-in
hours of service
volunteer shift schedules
volunteer impact reports
volunteer liability waivers
Tools for promoting volunteer opportunities

Many volunteer managers have found that they are able to save time, stay in touch with volunteers and remain organised through the use of volunteer management software.

Nowadays, most volunteers search for jobs online. Therefore using software to manage volunteers is essential for all organizations who wish to stay up-to-date and get the attention of interested members of their community.

The top 4 reasons to use volunteer software for managing volunteers

Many service-oriented organizations believe that employing programs to monitor volunteers can be beneficial but many aren’t sure when the time is right to get one installed.

Below are the top motives to get a the latest volunteer management software.

1. You don’t have the time

As a professional in the field of nonprofits you’re likely to face the problem of having too limited time to finish every task that you’re assigned. A system for managing volunteers helps volunteers take back the control over their schedules by automating the most important elements of the process of managing volunteers. Many platforms create ready-to-go report templates that sort volunteers based on availability, and then organize shifts for volunteers in the form of a calendar that can be printed.

There are other areas where you can cut down on precious time by using software for managing volunteers:

Record-keeping. Software for managing volunteers allows them to record their personal information (like contacts as well as their skills and interests) at the time of registration and check-in and check-in, which allows nonprofit personnel to cut down on time previously dedicated to data entry.
Reporting on a quarterly or annual basis. If you eliminate spreadsheets and implementing software volunteer managers can easily access, organize and export data in real time and use it to aid in their decisions.
Communication that is targeted. Automated features enable volunteers to quickly sort volunteer lists and then communicate with them regarding volunteer opportunities or community events. An added benefit? This kind of targeted communication is a crucial element in the efforts to retain volunteers.

2. You’d like to have a greater understanding of the impact of volunteers through the use of data

Volunteer managers need to clearly present the program’s impact to their local communities, boards of directors, as well as financial supporters. If you’re having difficulty quantifying impact, you’re all on your own.

One of the main reasons individuals choose to implement software for managing volunteers is they can design and present their program’s results in a way that is more holistic.

Volunteer management software monitors the lifecycle of volunteers so that you’ll be able to quickly see the number of volunteers you have, as well as the number of hours they’ve worked for.

Many platforms are able to quantify the importance of volunteer hours or the skills given to the organisation. The organizations can utilize this information to assess the progress they’re making in their mission, or to assess the efficacy of their community initiatives.

By gaining a better understanding of the program’s and volunteers’ impacts through precise, real-time reporting You can:

You can win more grants and money.
Increase community-based programs and services
Volunteers are rewarded and thanked.
Engage the stakeholders

3. You’re looking to automate your volunteer involvement

If your program’s data is distributed across multiple platforms, volunteering is time-consuming and exhausting. Instead of tracking the phone numbers of volunteers and calling them one-by-one professional in the field, they are increasingly using software to take care of the work for them.

Features for engagement with volunteers are one of the most significant reasons that professionals select the software for managing volunteers. Volunteer managers that want the capability to send mass texts or emails to their volunteers need to look for a reliable communication tool.

You should be able you to sort through your volunteer information to create lists of specific volunteers that are based on the interests of volunteers availability, skills, and qualifications. This can be used to reach out to your volunteers and provide them with personalized opportunities to volunteer.

If you’ve made a decision to improve your efforts to engage volunteers this year Here are some other ways in which software to manage volunteers can aid:

Send available volunteers a schedule or invites via email. Your volunteers will be scheduled based on their availability. You can also offer an invitation to your volunteers regarding specific tasks.
Make sure to send notifications to volunteers. Notifications can assist your organization to keep volunteers updated on opportunities they’ve registered for, inform them about new opportunities and acknowledge volunteers for volunteering their time. A consistent schedule of notifications and clear communications can have a huge difference in the level of engagement among volunteers.
Chat with volunteers in real-time. Find software that has its own application and text messaging for communicating directly with volunteers!

4. You need to recruit more volunteers

Volunteer recruitment isn’t an easy job. While it is possible to promote your cause using newspapers, word-of-mouth advertising or community bulletins in 2022, you must be interacting with people wherever they are on the internet!

The community members need to be able quickly and easily access your website for volunteering, browse through the available opportunities and be able to respond online. Digital recruitment of volunteers is the most effective method to attract new volunteers to the community.That’s why many volunteer specialists depend on software to manage volunteers to create a volunteer pool that has a wide range of abilities and qualifications.

Volunteer management software makes helps nonprofit leaders to recruit more volunteers by:

Promotion of opportunities. Volunteer management software lets to reach many potential volunteer candidates in just a few seconds. Utilize the software’s email communications tools to send out a mass email or its social media integrations for sharing the most recent news on your social media channels.
Selecting the most suitable volunteers to complete the task. Utilizing software for managing volunteers that allows volunteers to create profiles that include their abilities and availability, as well as their interests as well as other details. As a volunteer supervisor, you can utilize this information to design specific campaigns and to recruit particular volunteers who are able or willing to volunteer for the job.
Affiliating volunteers according to their skills and passions. Encourage volunteers to volunteer by recommending opportunities based on their abilities and interests. In the process of registration the volunteers will choose their areas of interest while the program will suggest volunteer opportunities.
Pre-qualifying volunteers. When you register your system for managing volunteers should permit volunteers to swiftly upload any required documentation (like drivers licenses or certificates) and also list their expertise on their profile as volunteers.