Volunteers can become run down after providing service for a nonprofit for an extended period. While you don’t want to drive them away, you need to ensure volunteers stay fresh so they can help you with fundraising events and other programs your nonprofit offers. Proper volunteer management will ensure your volunteers are upbeat and provide your organization with the best possible service. Here are four ways to help make sure your volunteers don’t become fatigued:

1. Manage volunteer hours

According to Psychology Today, volunteers can fall victim to compassion fatigue. While this condition primarily affects doctors, coroners, and other medical professionals, it is also common in volunteers working with nonprofit organizations. When compassion fatigue sets in, people can seem cold and uninviting, which isn’t something your organization wants to exude. Compassion fatigue can even cause depression and physical illness.

Volunteers who spend too much time working for your nonprofit organization can become susceptible to compassion fatigue and general burnout. One of the best ways to fight this fatigue is to ensure volunteers have a balanced life.

Talk with your volunteers and make sure they have active, healthy lives outside of the work they do with the organization. Also, don’t over-schedule volunteers to help; this can cause them to become stressed and fatigued.

2. Watch for the signs of fatigue

Identifying fatigue of all kinds is important. If a volunteer seems angry or removed, you may need to sit down and talk with him or her. The reasons for their attitude or actions may not be linked to your organization, but it’s still vital to do what you can to help them through their difficult time. Try to get to know and become involved with your volunteers so you can spot changes in behavior. When you do, reach out as a friend to see if you can help.

3. Utilize volunteer management software

Volunteer management software can be useful for properly chronicling information and scheduling volunteers. A good volunteer management system also allows you to retain a work record of volunteers. A work record is vital to determining who is overworked and who isn’t. The easier it is to access and manage data about your volunteers, the better chance you have of helping them avoid fatigue.

4. Celebrate volunteer members’ accomplishments

Fatigue can set in if there is no progress. Volunteers work hard, and they deserve recognition and celebration. Hold special volunteer appreciation events and make sure to highlight the work that they’ve done. 

Fatigue can have a negative effect on your volunteers – an important aspect of your organization. When you take steps to safeguard against it, you’ll better serve your cause.