Purpose: This article assesses how the human management practices of recruitment, selection, orientation, training and recognition enacted by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games impacted volunteers' experiences and their likelihood of volunteering in the future.

Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative data from 30 volunteers, involved in various stages (including selected and not selected) of the selection process for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, was collected through focus group interviews.

Findings: The findings offer important insights for mega sport event managers and their organisations around utilising a traditional human resource management approach for their volunteer workforce.

Originality/value: The findings of the study point to a number of important opportunities for mega event organisers: ensuring there is a personal and consistent approach for all volunteers (even volunteers who are not successful in the application), flexibility in the way volunteers are provided training and support (online, self-paced and tailored to specific roles) and ensuring that organising committees have a strong strategy and direction for host cities to engage in a volunteer legacy.