Losing committee members right and left? This is a pretty common problem found in associations. Volunteers burn out, run into new time commitments, or get frustrated with the position leaving your committee with empty seats. If you find yourself with a lacking committee, it is important to quickly fill those empty seats in order to keep everything on schedule.
Identify tasks. Understand what the committee was originally established for, their current tasks, and any future objectives. Make sure these issues and goals are clearly established before bringing on new committee members.
Determine a leader. If your committee leader has also left you high and dry, it is time to pick someone new to step into his or her shoes. Feel out the current committee members and see if anyone is willing to volunteer. If nobody is willing to take on this role, it is up to you to handle this in the meantime. This will also motivate you to continue the search for new committee members.
Fill the other positions. Make sure members are aware of the opportunity to join the committee. Include it in newsletters, emails, social media, and anywhere else you are communicating with your members. If this does not entice enough members, have the current committee members make a list of members they feel would be a good fit. Once the list is created, the recruiting can begin.
Check in. Once the new committee is established, be sure to check in regularly. Make sure the group is happy and understands their role in the organization.
Moving forward, make sure to consistently remind members of committee opportunities. Remind them that they can get more involved by joining committees. This will keep it in the forefront of their minds and might lead to more people joining before it is crucial that they join. This will lead to easier turnover and a more positive experience.