The number of staff and volunteers required to effectively run your asset will depend on its size and the scale of your operation. You may need to recruit more volunteers or staff with specific skills to support the running of your organisation and asset.
Volunteers often account for a large proportion of the workforce within clubs and community organisations and, while the requirements are different from employing paid staff, supporting volunteers and ensuring they are in suitable roles, satisfied and are retained in your organisation should continue to be a key aim within your organisation.
If you decide to employ staff, the move from being a totally volunteer-run organisation to employing your first staff member can be a big one, so make sure you seek employment advice from a qualified person.
Staff costs can be the biggest element of the overall cost of running an asset as you need to ensure wages, tax, national insurance, and pension contributions are covered, along with ensuring you are clear about contract arrangements.
Familiarise yourself with the essential aspects of employing and managing paid members of staff. Read the guidance from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
The skills and experience needed to run a community asset are different from those needed to develop a building or to run an organisation who don’t have their own assets.
As part of the planning for the project now and for the future, be prepared for some volunteers or members staff to leave once the asset is secured, feeling that their job is over and that they have completed their roles.
Planning for the departure of key individuals in advance helps to ensure that you’re not left with a gap in skills and expertise that may negatively impact on the running of your organisation and asset.
Even if your workforce feels secure right now, unexpected events can lead to a sudden change of circumstances and having a succession plan in place can help.