How Long Should Volunteer Shifts Be? Examples by Job

A thirty-minute shift sounds easy to fill. If the volunteer needs fifteen minutes of briefing and fifteen minutes to hand over, though, there's no time left to do the work.

Choose the length around the actual job. A welcome desk may need a two-hour shift; putting out signs may be a useful half-hour task. Include the briefing and handover in the hours you offer so the person knows when to arrive and when they can leave.

In Proximatic, each job can have its own start, finish and number of places. Put the short and long options on the same event page, then let people choose the work that fits their day.

Longer isn't automatically better, either. A person who can give an hour might be perfect for a bounded setup task but unable to take an all-morning desk. Offering both shifts gives the organizer a better chance to use the time people have, while still seeing whether the desk has continuous coverage.

Create your event and shifts, or see how to offer short shifts.