Sync and Coordinate Your Mixed Workforce: Strategies for Scheduling Volunteers and Paid Staff

Many organizations that engage volunteers also work with paid staff. This mixed workforce can be a huge benefit, but it can be difficult to schedule these two groups’ hours in a way that allows organizations to optimize efficiency and ensure adequate coverage of all roles and tasks. A recent study by Escallon-Barrios, Noham, and Smilowitz (2024) addresses this challenge by proposing a new data-driven approach to scheduling called the “guided scheduling process,” which allows organizations to better account for the unique features of their mixed workforce, including balancing both availability and preferences. In this Research to Practice, reviewer Allison Russell unpacks  their findings and offers practical insights for scheduling a mixed workforce.     

Available May 30