The Burnout Crisis: Protecting Your Volunteer Coordinators (and Yourself)
· 7 min read
I need to talk about something that doesn't get discussed enough in our field: burnout. Not volunteer burnout—though that's real too—but the burnout epidemic affecting the very people who manage volunteer programs. If you're reading this while eating lunch at your desk, answering emails at 9 PM, or wondering when you last took a real vacation, this one's for you.
TL;DR
- 95% of nonprofit leaders cite burnout as a concern; 75% say it impacts their mission achievement
- Volunteer coordinators are especially vulnerable: emotional labor, manual administrative burden, and the "do more with less" trap
- Technology reduces burnout by automating tedious tasks (hour tracking, reminders, reporting) and enabling delegation
- Structural solutions matter: appropriate staffing, clear boundaries, measuring coordinator wellbeing, and investing in professional development
- Your wellbeing matters—not just instrumentally, but intrinsically. A burned-out coordinator helps no one