Repair 14: Why Adding More Volunteers Is Not Fixing Your Workload
When help creates more work
The Problem
You need help.
So you recruit volunteers.
More people sign up.
More emails get sent.
More coordination is required.
And somehow, you are busier than before.
This is frustrating, confusing, and extremely common in downtown work.
Why This Keeps Happening
Adding volunteers increases workload when:
Roles are unclear
Tasks are not defined in advance
Volunteers need constant direction
Everyone wants to help, but no one owns outcomes
You become the bottleneck for every decision
More people does not automatically mean more capacity.
The Fix
The goal is not more volunteers.
The goal is clear roles and contained responsibility.
Here is how to fix it.
Step 1: Stop Recruiting Until Roles Are Clear
Pause recruitment briefly.
Write down:
What needs to be done
How often
With what level of judgment
If you cannot explain the role in three sentences, it is not ready for a volunteer.
Step 2: Assign Ownership, Not Tasks
Volunteers burn out when they are given chores without context.
Instead of:
“Can you help with this?”
Try:
“You own this part of the work.”
Ownership reduces check-ins and follow-up.
Step 3: Limit How Many People Touch One Task
More hands often mean more coordination.
For each task:
One owner
One backup if needed
Everyone else supports, not manages
Clarity speeds things up.
Step 4: Design Roles That End
Open-ended roles drain energy.
Define:
Start date
End date
What “done” looks like
Endings protect relationships and prevent resentment.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Recruiting out of desperation
Letting volunteers define their own scope
Managing everyone personally
Assuming enthusiasm replaces structure
Volunteers thrive with boundaries, not ambiguity.
What to Do This Week
Use this checklist to reset:
⬜ Pause new volunteer recruitment
⬜ Write three clear volunteer roles
⬜ Assign one owner per role
⬜ Set a clear end date
⬜ Let go of one task you should not own
Better roles beat more people.
How We Help
This challenge is often addressed through Organizational Capacity Building with Reader Area Development, Inc., helping organizations design roles and structures that support the people doing the work instead of adding more strain.
Keep Going
This post is part of The Downtown Repair Manual, a field guide to fixing common downtown problems one issue at a time.
Help only helps when it is structured.