In every executive search briefing I conduct with a For-Purpose board about their CEO recruitment, I ask questions about impact, organisational culture and key deliverables. These conversations are often strategic, thoughtful and focused.
But there’s one question that consistently brings even the most prepared boards to a pause:
“How might the new CEO improve the culture and experience for volunteers?”
The silence says a lot.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of many For-Purpose organisations, yet they’re rarely mentioned in position descriptions and almost never raised in briefing sessions — until I introduce the topic.
It’s a blind spot I see across the sector.
As a CEO search consultant, I’ve learned to listen for what’s missing as much as what’s said. When volunteers are absent from leadership conversations, it usually reveals an overlooked priority — one that can shape the organisation’s future.
This has to change.
Workforce challenges are already tough, especially in regional Australia. Volunteer numbers are low. Engagement is harder than ever. And yet, when recruiting the CEO who will set the tone for the organisation, volunteers are too often absent.
Yes, people are drawn to volunteering by a purpose — a desire to do good, to give back, to connect. But what makes them stay is leadership, culture and being valued.
That starts with the CEO.
Attracting volunteers is one thing. Making them feel seen, valued and proud to contribute is what keeps them. These aren’t soft measures — they shape retention, performance and long-term impact.
Turning up to a welcome session, expressing gratitude, formally recognising effort, inviting their input — these aren’t grand gestures. They’re acts of leadership.
Volunteers notice. I know because I am one.
Today’s volunteers are more selective. They’re juggling higher living costs, demanding jobs and family responsibilities. Their time is limited and more valuable than ever.
If you want them to stay, show them they matter.
So when you, as the board, make volunteer attraction and engagement a key deliverable for the CEO, you’re not just setting a KPI — you’re sending a signal. You’re saying volunteers aren’t optional. They’re essential.
As a search consultant writing this on the heels of National Volunteer Week, I believe that when we embed volunteer engagement into CEO expectations, we affirm a much deeper truth:
Volunteers are the heart of a For-Purpose organisation — embodying its mission, extending its reach and anchoring its work in community trust and shared values.