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First, all our managers knew, right from the outset, that volunteers would be
a vital part of the workforce. They knew that they must work with volunteers.
It was not a matter of choice.
Second, we insisted that there must be no "second class citizens". Volunteers
were to be accorded the same respect and the same quality of management as
staff on the payroll. In return, the volunteers had the same obligation to perform
efficiently and to work effectively as part of the team.
Thus, for example, it was not just the paid staff who were given clearly
defined job descriptions. Over three thousand individual job descriptions were
written for the volunteers as well. It was not just the paid staff who were included
in briefings, meetings and communication sessions, but the volunteers as well.
It was not just the paid staff who were recognised for their performance, but the
volunteers also. We aimed to achieve a single, united workforce.
Thirdly, we did not overglamourise what the volunteer jobs would involve.
When we invited people to apply to be volunteers we made clear that in all
likelihood they would not see any of the sport, that they would be working at
relatively unglamourous back-of-house positions, that they would need to work
a minimum of ten eight hour shifts, that they would need to get to and from work
on the public transport system and that if they lived outside Sydney they would
need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements at their own
expense.
In other words, we were realists, and this was important. Realism makes
for good job satisfaction and low rates of attrition. No volunteer for the Games
ever believed that they would be standing around the track at the stadium
with nothing to do but hand Cathy Freeman her tracksuit when she won the
400 metres.
Fourth, we recognised that volunteers must have a positive experience. They
must enjoy what they were doing. I do not mean that every moment must be
fun. But the volunteers had to feel that even when the job was hard it was not
thankless, that it was worthwhile, that it was a learning opportunity, and that every
volunteer's job was equally vital to achieving the outcome.
We decided which jobs were volunteer jobs and which jobs were paid
jobs partly on the basis of what it was fair to ask a volunteer to do for free. For
example we felt that staff in cleaning, waste management and housekeeping
should be paid workers rather than volunteers.
Fifth, we understood that volunteers are cost effective but they are not
free. The average cost per volunteer was about seven hundred dollars. Volunteers
can provide tremendous impact for a low cost — but it does not come about at
no cost.
Sixth, we rewarded our volunteers, but this was not payment in disguise.
If a person is only volunteering because of the chance of tickets to the opening
Ceremony dress rehearsal, or discounts on Olympic Games merchandise or a
watch to wear on their wrist, then that volunteer is not working for the right
reasons.
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