Budget: 170 million for new stadium and facilities
Volunteer manager: Amy Parrish-Rett
The thousands of staff playing host to athletes and visitors from the 72 nations taking part in the Commonwealth Games (25 July to 4 August) in Manchester are about to participate in a massive HR experiment. Half of the games 18,000 Crew 2002 staff for the largest multi-sport event ever held in the UK, with a million tickets to sell are volunteers. Apart from free track-suits, meals, basic travel expenses and memories, they are not being paid a penny.
Just as in the Olympic games in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000), Manchester 2002 will depend on thousands of volunteers for its success. And managing them calls for interpersonal skills of a high order. In charge of Crew 2002 is Amy Parrish-Rett, an American trainer and HR specialist who worked in Atlanta six years ago. She understands full well the challenge she is facing.
You have to let volunteers know that their work is valued
Recognition is absolutely critical when you are working with volunteers, she says. You cant leave it out because youre tired or because its the end of the week and youre out of budget. Thanking volunteers is their currency and their pay cheque.
You have to let volunteers know that their work is valued, adds Parrish-Rett. If they dont think they are being valued, they dont come back. Of course members of Crew 2002 will get certain tangible rewards. During the games there will be signs posted up drawing attention to exceptional pieces of work carried out by staff, and some prizes and gifts will be handed out.
Key to the success of the volunteer army will be the creation of the so-called crew culture. Crew culture will be customer service personified only that isnt how Parrish-Rett will refer to it. Its not like the US, Canada or Australia here, she says. In the US services people work for tips. Customer service goes much deeper into the culture than it does in the UK.
Crew culture will be all about having a good time, doing the best job you can, going the extra mile for everybody you are working with, she says. At the end of April all staff attended a huge training event to help establish the culture. Those recruited have proven highly enthusiastic already. But the test will be who keeps turning up, she admits. You cant make them come back.
A lesson that can be applied to the management of paid staff
What is the secret of good customer service? For Parrish-Rett it is all about self-confidence and having the right attitude. Together with recruitment firm Adecco Parrish-Rett fielded applications from over 20,000 people to become volunteers. People either have the right attitude, she believes, or they dont. And that commitment has to be properly recognised.
The other crucial lesson emerging from the Crew 2002 experience is what it implies for the management of paid staff. The team, paid staff or volunteers, will be wearing the same kit, treated the same, managed the same. And all staff will need the same (non-financial) recognition to remain motivated.
The fact is that all employees can go other places, says Parrish-Rett. They all volunteer to work with you, in that sense. It just shows you really have to appreciate and value staff for what they are doing. That recognition is vital.
