Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn in 2003, writes with Ben Casnocha and Chris Yeh about how employers have sought to adapt from offering a period when they were able to offer long-term job security to the current ‘information age’ of rapid and unpredictable change, where people ‘pass through’ their organisations. http://bit.ly/11VQQIR

Employers used to offer steady, predictable career paths and in return benefit from commitment and loyalty and the authors argue that they have not responded very well to the demands for adaptability and entrepreneurship in our employment practices.

What has this got to do with managing volunteers? Something along the lines of organisations who are seeking to attract the new generation of volunteers – those that don’t want to sign up for every Wednesday afternoon for the next 30 years…

It didn’t used to be like this – in the good old days it used to be more traditional – more manageable –more predictable.

Using the author’s arguments in a volunteering context could read as follows:

So if lifetime volunteering ‘contracts’ are a thing of the past, what’s the way forward? How can you work towards volunteers’ commitment and entrepreneurship, retention and agility?

In essence, by reapplying the principle of reciprocity and making it overt and a conscious part of the volunteering relationship. Recognise that volunteers are likely to move on at some stage but look for mutual investment and benefits.

Volunteers and their organisations should agree to make each other more valuable, help each other flourish.

There are three ways of doing this.

Firstly, offer volunteers a ‘tour of duty’, i.e. a fixed-term renewable placement for a period of time in which it is clear what the organisation and the employee will gain.

Secondly, support and even encourage your volunteers to develop their professional networks outside the organisation, which will benefit them, on the understanding that they will leverage those relationships for the benefit of the organisation while they are there.

Thirdly, develop a network of volunteer alumni that fosters lifelong affiliation to the organisation. Don’t fear the fact that people will one day move on; make use of it. Be honest about it. Stay in touch when they do leave. Incorporate them into your network of advocates, potential collaborators and even future recruits.