Volunteer management: How to keep good volunteers in the club

Recruiting volunteers is difficult. But what's even more difficult — and more costly — is losing the good volunteers you already have. When an experienced kiosk manager or tournament coordinator steps down, knowledge, routines and commitment that took years to build up disappear.

Good volunteer management isn't about getting people to turn up once. It's about creating an experience that makes them want to come back. In this article we share concrete steps that work — drawn from clubs that organise everything from local cups to events with thousands of volunteers.

See how Rubic Organizer simplifies volunteer coordination →

Why do volunteers quit?

Before we talk about solutions, we should understand the problem. The most common reasons why volunteers step back:

They feel invisible. No one says thank you, no one notices the effort. When volunteers feel their contribution is taken for granted, motivation drops quickly.

It's disorganised. Volunteers who turn up without knowing what to do, or who experience chaotic events time after time, lose faith that it makes any difference.

The workload is uneven. Some do everything, while others get off lightly. That creates frustration and resignation among those who show up.

Communication is poor. Information goes out late, messages are unclear, and there's no follow-up after the event.

It feels pointless. Volunteers who don't see the results of their work, or don't understand why they are doing what they do, lose motivation.

7 steps to better volunteer management

1. Give clear roles and expectations

Nothing kills motivation faster than turning up without knowing what to do. Define roles in advance: What does the shift responsibility involve? How long does it last? Who is the contact person?

When Norway Cup organises 1,700 volunteers across 4,000 shifts, this is absolutely crucial. Every volunteer must know what their role involves — long before the event starts.

2. Make registration and coordination easy

The easier it is to sign up for a shift, the more people do it. Digital tools where volunteers choose their own shifts from their phone lower the threshold compared with email threads and spreadsheets. With a good tool you can:

• Publish open shifts with a description and time
• Let volunteers sign up and withdraw themselves
• Send automatic reminders
• See in real time who is missing

3. Recognise the effort — always

A personal thank-you after the event costs nothing, but means an enormous amount. Make sure that:

• The volunteer coordinator thanks everyone after every effort
• The club highlights volunteer work in newsletters, on social media or at the annual general meeting
• Those who have contributed the most during the year receive extra recognition

4. Build a sense of community

Volunteers who know each other come back. Arrange an informal get-together for volunteers after the season — a simple dinner, a pizza night or a social evening. It doesn't have to cost much, but it builds loyalty.

5. Share the load fairly

Use a system that keeps track of who has contributed — and who hasn't. When everyone can see that the distribution is fair, it's easier to accept your share.

Read our guide: How to organise volunteer work (dugnad) in the sports club →

6. Give volunteers influence

Let experienced volunteers take ownership. Give them responsibility for an area, involve them in the planning, and listen to their feedback. Volunteers who feel heard and valued stay longer.

7. Evaluate and improve

After every event: What worked? What should change? Brief feedback from volunteers — even just five questions — provides valuable insight and shows that you take their experience seriously.

Digital tools make volunteer management scalable

When the club organises one cup a year with 20 volunteers, you can get by with a phone and a shift schedule on paper. But when ambitions grow — more events, more volunteers, more complex shift set-ups — you need a system.

Rubic Organizer is built for exactly this. From 10 volunteers at a local tournament to thousands at events such as Ski-VM 2025 and Tons of Rock — the same tool, the same overview.

Get started with better volunteer management

You don't need to change everything at once. Start here:

1. Ask your active volunteers: What works? What should be improved?
2. Define roles and shifts clearly for the next event
3. Introduce a digital tool for registration and coordination
4. Thank everyone who contributes — every time

Book a free demo of Rubic Organizer →