Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Guides
1 minute read

Managing Underperformance

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

This guide supports organisations to address volunteer underperformance in a fair, supportive and constructive way. The resource outlines approaches to performance appraisal, identifying underperformance, having difficult conversations and responding appropriately.

Benefits for volunteer managers

  • conduct performance appraisal and feedback
  • identify and address underperformance
  • manage performance issues
  • manage risks and complaints

  • execute volunteer exit and offboarding.

How to apply this resource

Use this guide to inform supervision practices, performance reviews and responses to ongoing underperformance.

Downloads and sources

More about the author

Volunteering Australia is the national peak body for volunteering, working to advance volunteering in the Australian community. Their vision is to promote strong, connected communities through volunteering, and their mission is to lead, strengthen, promote and celebrate volunteering in Australia.

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

Articles & Reports

Volunteer vs intern

Overview explaining the differences between volunteers and interns.
1 minute read
Volunteer Ireland
General
VIKTOR Lite
Tech

VIKTOR Lite

VIKTOR Lite enables volunteer involving organisations to recruit volunteers via a range of websites run by local governments, state peaks, local volunteer resource centres, Volunteering Australia and SEEK Volunteer.
Volunteer database Recruitment Onboarding / training Reporting
GoodCompany
Tech

GoodCompany

GoodCompany is a Workplace Giving Platform based in Australia and NZ. It's designed to enable companies and their people to come together to donate, volunteer, fundraise, and match donations for the charities closest to their hearts.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Resource management Social media Event management Donations
Volaby
Tech

Volaby

Volaby is an end-to-end volunteer and people management platform, enabling organisations to do more with less! Built from the collective voice of our volunteer managers using the platform, Volaby helps you automate and simplify the volunteer and manager experience to save time and scale impact.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
scheduled

Volunteer Screening Deconstructed 

This interactive session examines best-practice volunteer screening, providing practical guidance on implementing robust safeguards that protect your organisation while avoiding unnecessary administrative burden.
Volunteering Victoria
Free
scheduled

Gladstone Satellite Event - Queensland Volunteering Conference

Volunteering Queensland and Gladstone Regional Council invite you to connect with the 2026 Queensland Volunteering Conference through an affordable local satellite event.
Volunteering Queensland
A$38.00
scheduled

Cairns Satellite Event - Queensland Volunteering Conference

Volunteering Queensland and FNQ Volunteers Inc invite regional communities to connect with the 2026 Queensland Volunteering Conference. This affordable two-day event ($38) offers local learning, networking and collaboration opportunities.
Volunteering Queensland
A$38.00