Volunteers and Volunteering – What Do I Need to Know?
- kate@thehrhero.co.uk
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 24 hours ago
Volunteering is an important way to contribute to a cause, build skills, and create a positive impact within the community.
According to the NCVO “The voluntary sector has a workforce which is almost a million strong (950,000 workers) - about two-thirds the size of the NHS workforce - and has grown by more than a quarter (27%) in the past decade”.
For businesses, involving volunteers can be a great way to expand your reach, support your mission, and create a meaningful workplace culture. However, when it comes to volunteers, there are key differences from employees, legal considerations, and best practices that employers should be aware of.
Here’s what you need to know before taking on volunteers in your organisation:
1. How Is a Volunteer Different from an Employee?
While both volunteers and employees contribute to an organisation’s success, they are distinct in several important ways.
No Financial Compensation: Volunteers offer their time and skills without receiving payment or financial benefits. Unlike employees, they aren’t entitled to wages, bonuses, or employment-related benefits (such as sick leave or holiday pay).
Legal Status: Volunteers aren’t considered employees in the eyes of the law, which means they aren’t entitled to the same rights and protections, such as those under employment law. However, they should still be treated with respect, fairness, and consideration.
Flexibility: Volunteers usually have a more flexible role than employees. They often choose their own hours and may have more control over their involvement in the organization.
No Employment Contract: Volunteers do not have an employment contract, but they may sign a volunteer agreement outlining the organisation’s commitment to volunteers, expectations, responsibilities, and boundaries of their role.
Although volunteers and employees are distinct, it’s important to ensure that volunteers are still managed effectively and responsibly, particularly when it comes to their safety and well-being.
2. What Do I Need in Place Before Taking on Volunteers?
Before bringing volunteers on board, there are several things you need to consider to ensure their experience is positive and that your organisation is legally compliant:
Clear Purpose for Volunteering: Understand why you need volunteers. Have a defined role or project that volunteers can contribute to. This clarity helps you recruit the right people and set clear standards and expectations.
Volunteer Policies: It’s important to have policies in place that outline the roles, expectations, and guidelines for volunteers. These should cover areas such as behaviour, attendance, confidentiality, and safety. Be careful not to confuse employee policies such as sickness or disciplinary with volunteer policies.
·Risk Assessments: Like employees, volunteers need to work in a safe environment. You must conduct risk assessments for tasks and environments they’ll be working in to minimise potential risks.
Training and Induction: Ensure volunteers receive adequate training, including an induction to your organisation, any tasks they will undertake, and any health and safety protocols.
Insurance Coverage: Check that your organisation’s insurance covers volunteers. Many insurance policies extend to cover volunteers, but it’s always important to confirm this in advance.
Setting these essentials in place ensures that volunteers are clear on their roles and responsibilities and that they’re working in a safe, supportive environment.
3. What Paperwork Should I Have in Place for Volunteers?
Although volunteers aren’t employees, it’s still important to have the right paperwork in place to protect both the volunteer and your organisation. Some key documents to consider include:
Volunteer Agreement:
While not a contract, a volunteer agreement outlines the role, expectations, and boundaries of the volunteer position, together with the organisation’s commitment to the role of a volunteer. It should cover the volunteer’s duties, time commitments, supervision, and any relevant policies (e.g. confidentiality, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, harassment and bullying and data protection.).
Health and Safety Form:
Complete a health and safety form for each volunteer, particularly if they are working in roles where they may be exposed to risks. This form should ensure that they understand safety protocols and that any potential health concerns are disclosed.
Emergency Contact Details:
It is essential to gather emergency contact information in case of an accident or emergency.
Confidentiality Agreement (if applicable):
If the volunteer will have access to sensitive or confidential information, it’s essential to have them sign a confidentiality agreement to protect your organisation’s data.
Equal Opportunities Form: If required, collect equal opportunities monitoring forms to ensure diversity and inclusion within your volunteer base.
These documents help to ensure that both your organisation and volunteers are clear on expectations and are legally protected.
4. Should I Let My Staff Volunteer?
Allowing your staff to volunteer can be a wonderful way to give back to the community, enhance employee engagement, and foster a sense of social responsibility. However, there are some things to consider before you encourage staff to volunteer:
Balance Work and Volunteering: If you’re offering staff the opportunity to volunteer, ensure that it doesn’t interfere with their regular work responsibilities. You may want to offer paid time off for volunteering or provide flexible hours so employees can contribute without affecting their work performance.
Clear Guidelines: Make sure that staff know when and how they can volunteer. Establish clear boundaries to avoid any confusion about whether volunteering hours count toward work hours or whether staff should perform volunteer duties during work time.
Encourage Volunteering as a Team: Volunteering can be a great team-building activity. Organise group volunteer days to help staff bond while contributing to a good cause.
Workplace Culture: Promoting volunteering can improve workplace morale and employee satisfaction. It encourages a sense of purpose and connection to the wider community. However, ensure that volunteering remains voluntary – staff should not feel pressured to participate.
Protecting Staff: Ensure that your staff are appropriately covered by insurance while volunteering, and that any risk assessments are completed for the volunteer tasks they’ll be doing.
Statistics by GOV.UK state that “in 2023/24 16% of adults (approximately 7.5 million people in England) had taken part in formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months”.
Encouraging staff to volunteer can be mutually beneficial, but it’s important to offer clear guidelines and ensure that it doesn’t interfere with their day-to-day work responsibilities.
Case Study
The HR Hero works with organisations to support them with their employees and volunteers.
One of our HR Hero members is Worcester Wheels, a not-for-profit charity, providing community transport for people living in Worcester and the surrounding areas. They also provide a community Friendship Hub bringing people who are lonely and isolated together.
Dormston the Chief Operating Officer, who is responsible for running Worcester Wheels, attended a Chamber of Commerce HR training day delivered by Kate. Following the course, Dormston contacted Kate as he was concerned that their employment contracts and HR policies, including volunteer documentation, were not fit for how the charity runs.
Kate met with the Board of Trustee’s and was instructed to undertake an initial HR review. This led to an employee consultation process, to update employment contracts and HR policies and people management processes, to ensure they complied with employment law, supported their people and aligned to the school term time funding the organisation receives.
Worcester Wheels went on to have a Gold Membership with The HR Hero, and now receive continued support, whenever they need it. As a small charity without an in-house HR department, here’s what Dormston said..
“Kate is always approachable and is my go to person for anything HR related that I come across. She is always on the end of the phone when I need her and is always clear in her advice and instructions.
Basically, Kate is my HR comfort blanket!”
If you are interested in finding out more about Worcester Wheels and the Charity’s work or becoming a volunteer then click here.
Conclusion
Volunteering is a powerful way for organisations to give back to the community, promote positive change, and engage employees in meaningful ways.
By understanding the differences between volunteers and employees, putting the right policies in place, and ensuring you have the necessary paperwork, you can effectively manage your volunteer workforce.
Whether you’re bringing in volunteers to support your mission or encouraging your staff to give back, volunteering can create positive experiences for everyone involved.
If you need any help navigating the process of integrating volunteers into your workplace, The HR Hero is here to provide expert advice. Get in touch today for more guidance, by clicking here:
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