I believe that there are four different ways to show appreciation to volunteers. Four appreciation languages, if you like. Informal thank yous, public acknowledgement, appreciation events, and tangible gratitude. Tangible gratitude is simply a way of saying thank you by providing a tangible benefit to the volunteer.
I’ve found that tangible gratitude is often done, but usually not terribly well. The challenges seem to come in the areas of what to offer, and when to offer it.
Let’s start with the “When”.
Showing tangible gratitude usually incurs a resource cost. The cost may be financial or it may be of time. Either way, those resources are in short supply. While all volunteers ought to be thanked every shift, the use of tangible gratitude should be reserved for times when a volunteer goes “above and beyond”.
For example, a volunteer at the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association took it upon herself to create a colouring book as a fundraiser for the organisation, showing pictures of the horses and riders in the program. The books sold out quickly and new copies had to be printed. A basic “Thanks, you’re awesome!” just wasn’t enough. A more tangible show of appreciation was called for.
Think about the volunteers in your organisation. How many of them go the extra mile when asked – or even without being asked? Volunteers who step in and do an extra shift if someone else can’t make it. Someone who notices that a regular client hasn’t been showing up and goes out of their way to check on them. You know better than I do what, in your organisation, deserves more than a verbal thank you.
Okay, now that we know when, what should we offer as tangible gratitude?
The word “tangible” can be a bit misleading. It doesn’t need to be something physical. In fact, in these days of “decluttering” and “minimalism”, physical items such as mugs or hats can be less than welcome. I recently counted the coffee mugs in my cupboard – 37! For a two-person household. Most of them were swag from some organisation or another. So instead, think of what you can offer that provides an experience, or helps them in their day-to-day lives. Don’t necessarily avoid physical items; just make sure you have other options.
Here are a few tangible gratitude ideas:
- Provide a chance to attend special training. If the organisation is arranging a seminar for staff in, say, first aid or a computer program, provide a spot to the volunteer – especially if you know that they are interested in the subject.
- Offer to be a job reference, or help with filling out a university application. Don’t wait to be asked; if you know the volunteer you would like to acknowledge is looking for paid work or trying to get into university, let them know you’re willing to help.
- Organisational swag. Don’t overuse this one, but some volunteers like showing off their passion for your cause. Having a few (useful!) branded items around can be a great thank you for these volunteers.
- Gift cards or store discounts. With the rising cost of living, gift cards and discounts can make a huge difference to some people. Partner with local businesses to provide volunteer overachievers with discounts or freebies. Many companies, especially chain stores and restaurants, are happy to donate coupons or gift cards to local charities. It gives them bragging rights and marketing opportunities, so don’t feel shy about asking!
- Provide a parking spot for a month, or free access to an event. Anything that makes their volunteering a little bit easier or more fun.
Most important, though, know the volunteers well enough to be able to offer something that they would value.
If a volunteer comes in to their shift every day with a Tim Horton’s coffee, get them a Tim’s gift card. If they’re into astronomy or astrology, name a star after them. Are they someone who wants to advance in their career? Connect them with someone who can mentor them. Into gardening? Buy them seeds.
Or just ask! Tell them that you are so pleased with whatever it is they’ve done that you’d like to show the organisation’s appreciation, and you want to provide something that they would really value. They may say “Nothing; I don’t need anything.” In fact we work with such amazing people they probably will! In that case you can choose something based on your knowledge of them, or you could just accept that that is their preference. They may, however, tell you about something that they would like. If it’s at all possible, provide them with it.
Be generous, but not over the top, in what you consider “above and beyond”. If you provide tangible gratitude too often for too many things, it will lose its value.
Regularly engage on a personal level with volunteers and continuously watch for ways you can reward them when they do something special. By showing appreciation in tangible ways, you create a culture of gratitude that not only retains existing volunteers but also attracts new ones who are excited to contribute to your cause.
