Volunteer recruitment and retention continue to be important issues for Not-For-Profit (NFP) organisations. A theoretical framework that has demonstrated considerable potential to better understand the factors influencing volunteer recruitment and retention is the concept of the Psychological Contract (PC); the set of beliefs individuals hold in relation to how organisations value their contributions as volunteers. To date research has predominantly examined the relationship between volunteer retention and individuals' PC after a volunteer has spent considerable time with an organisation. The research reported in this paper provides evidence that volunteer recruitment practices and volunteer's expectations directly influence the development of volunteers' PCs from the very first interactions they have with an organisation, and before they even commence their voluntary duties. The results indicate that a better understanding of volunteers' PC development processes and the influence of volunteer manager actions during the volunteer recruitment phase can support the formation of realistic expectations amongst potential volunteers and thus enhance volunteer recruitment outcomes.

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This paper explores the use of the concept of the psychological contract in investigating the experience of volunteers and its potential to help develop strategies to attract, retain, and support volunteers and the mission of non-profit organizations who their efforts support, through a systematic review of what we know about the psychological contract in relation to volunteers. Following the PRISMA, PIECES, and Warwick protocols, we conducted a search of empirical research in business and broader social sciences and humanities databases. From the initial 6,042 studies reviewed, 29 met the inclusion criteria that focused on peer-reviewed journal articles published in English. The research questions and findings investigated by these studies were categorized using Alcover, Rico, Turnley, and Bolino's (2017) multiple-exchange model of the PC: PC formation and development, information-seeking behavior, identification (of the nature of the PC), PC fulfillment, and PC breach. We propose new directions for research on PC and volunteering, including suggestions for research methods and contexts.

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