Volunteering for a community association, whether it be on the Board or just occasionally, can be a very pleasant but time-consuming experience. When we think of volunteering in the traditional sense, sitting on a landscaping committee is not usually the first thing to come to mind. (Think soup kitchens or Boy Scout troop leader) Yet, this work is still vital to community association institute and needs to be done one way or another. It can be rewarding work if a volunteer has the right mindset and views the work as a way to improve the lives of their community. Large communities especially – even those with active Board members and management companies – could usually use extra sets of hands with occasional events or projects.
Recruiting
Board members and property managers should not be afraid to constantly ask involved homeowners if they want to volunteer, in a non-pressuring way. Try to stay connected with homeowners and ask new people all the time. Many times people do want to lend a hand but don’t know how to approach the subject. Homeowners can be a terrific resource for Associations, as a large community can be comprised of people with a range of skill sets, experience and backgrounds.
For a large community with many events or projects, the Board may want to consider organizing volunteers into categories of those are who are willing to serve on standing committees, which require more time and on a longer-term basis, and those who are willing to pitch in at one or two events per year. If the Association management has a website (and it is well trafficked), it may want to post “want ads” for volunteers whenever the need comes around for help.
Showing Appreciation
“The real trick is to show your volunteers that feel what they are doing counts,” said Karen B. Schleimer, a private practice real estate attorney in New York. “If you ask them to research a project, make sure to ask them to submit a report. Have them come to a Board meeting to discuss their findings. Assign a Board member to whom the group can turn when they have questions. There should be a time frame set for their response. They will continue to be engaged when they know that they are making a valuable contribution to the community and that their contribution is recognized.”
Schleimer added that volunteers should always be thanked at meetings and mentioned in Association newsletters. Non-Board volunteers complete tasks that relieve pressure off of Board members, so their contribution is truly important. Some Associations personally recognize all volunteers at the annual meeting and even hold a prize raffle (usually a $100 gift card, or something similar) for all people who volunteered during the year.
Yet often still, volunteer work for communities can take up much more time than initially expected and can often feel like a full-time job for a homeowner who has an actual full-time job and other personal obligations.
Some tips to keep good volunteers around include: communicate clear expectations and responsibilities, try to have meetings be productive and fun, distribute workloads evenly and fairly, get to know the volunteers personally, always thank them, and consider hosting a volunteer appreciation night, annual raffle as mentioned above or something similar.
A Note about Liability
Volunteer committees are great, but note that there are certain duties that are more appropriate for vendors or property management companies to undertake, from a liability standpoint for the Association.
“What a Board should delegate to vendors are projects that need warrantees, a professional license, activities that require physical strength, use of ladders, and anything regarding snow and ice,” said Susan Winn, director of risk management and transitions at Lieberman Management Services. “The main concern for an Association when they are looking to keep a project ‘in house’ in order to save money is the risk associated with the project. Physical risks associated with activities should be delegated.”
If the Board does decide to have a volunteer complete a general task (like changing lightbulbs,) Winn recommends considering the background and experience of the volunteer and their ability to complete the job safely. The lowest cost labor (volunteers being free) may not always yield the best results and may expose Boards to workers compensation issues should the volunteer become injured doing a job.
By Clare Pierson
Web Marketing Coordinator, Lieberman Management Services
This article is provided by Lieberman Management Services.
Board members and property managers should not be afraid to constantly ask involved homeowners if they want to volunteer, in a non-pressuring way. Try to stay connected with homeowners and ask new people all the time. Many times people do want to lend a hand but don’t know how to approach the subject. Homeowners can be a terrific resource for Associations, as a large community can be comprised of people with a range of skill sets, experience and backgrounds.
For a large community with many events or projects, the Board may want to consider organizing volunteers into categories of those are who are willing to serve on standing committees, which require more time and on a longer-term basis, and those who are willing to pitch in at one or two events per year. If the Association management has a website (and it is well trafficked), it may want to post “want ads” for volunteers whenever the need comes around for help.
Showing Appreciation
“The real trick is to show your volunteers that feel what they are doing counts,” said Karen B. Schleimer, a private practice real estate attorney in New York. “If you ask them to research a project, make sure to ask them to submit a report. Have them come to a Board meeting to discuss their findings. Assign a Board member to whom the group can turn when they have questions. There should be a time frame set for their response. They will continue to be engaged when they know that they are making a valuable contribution to the community and that their contribution is recognized.”
Schleimer added that volunteers should always be thanked at meetings and mentioned in Association newsletters. Non-Board volunteers complete tasks that relieve pressure off of Board members, so their contribution is truly important. Some Associations personally recognize all volunteers at the annual meeting and even hold a prize raffle (usually a $100 gift card, or something similar) for all people who volunteered during the year.
Yet often still, volunteer work for communities can take up much more time than initially expected and can often feel like a full-time job for a homeowner who has an actual full-time job and other personal obligations.
Some tips to keep good volunteers around include: communicate clear expectations and responsibilities, try to have meetings be productive and fun, distribute workloads evenly and fairly, get to know the volunteers personally, always thank them, and consider hosting a volunteer appreciation night, annual raffle as mentioned above or something similar.
A Note about Liability
Volunteer committees are great, but note that there are certain duties that are more appropriate for vendors or property management companies to undertake, from a liability standpoint for the Association.
“What a Board should delegate to vendors are projects that need warrantees, a professional license, activities that require physical strength, use of ladders, and anything regarding snow and ice,” said Susan Winn, director of risk management and transitions at Lieberman Management Services. “The main concern for an Association when they are looking to keep a project ‘in house’ in order to save money is the risk associated with the project. Physical risks associated with activities should be delegated.”
If the Board does decide to have a volunteer complete a general task (like changing lightbulbs,) Winn recommends considering the background and experience of the volunteer and their ability to complete the job safely. The lowest cost labor (volunteers being free) may not always yield the best results and may expose Boards to workers compensation issues should the volunteer become injured doing a job.
By Clare Pierson
Web Marketing Coordinator, Lieberman Management Services
This article is provided by Lieberman Management Services.