Volunteer Engagement and Retention

Abstract

The declining number of U.S. volunteers is troubling, necessitating improved understanding of drivers of volunteer retention such as volunteer engagement. We utilized the job demands-resources model to investigate the moderating role of community service self-efficacy (CSSE) on the relationships between two demands (organizational constraints and role ambiguity) and volunteer engagement. Volunteers (N = 235) from three U.S. nonprofit organizations participated in a survey as part of a volunteer program assessment. Volunteers who encountered greater organizational constraints and role ambiguity were less engaged. In addition, CSSE attenuated the negative relationship between organizational constraints and engagement, but not the negative association between role ambiguity and engagement. When faced with organizational constraints, volunteers with higher CSSE reported greater engagement than those with lower CSSE. Organizations should therefore assess and support volunteers' CSSE to bolster their engagement when faced with demands. Further recommendations for increasing volunteer engagement are discussed.

Effect of Communication Practices on Volunteer Organization Identification and Retention

“…Our results advance the literature in the volunteer area by identifying specific antecedents of organization identification. Previous work in the volunteer literature has shown the importance of these variables in leading to engagement [23] and retention [26]. However, studies have not investigated discrete factors which lead to organization identification.…”

“…She defines engagement as a psychological state of volunteers marked by affective commitment, positive affectivity, and empowerment. Among volunteers, engagement is shown to affect variables such as self-efficacy [23], satisfaction with volunteer experiences [24], psychological well-being [25], and the intention to remain in organizations [26].…”

Student teachers volunteering in pre-service programmes in successful schools: Contributing to their successful training

“…In this project, different supporting programmes targeting children at risk of exclusion are implemented; one of which is focused on the implementation of after-school classes that are managed by volunteers. All of these experiences indicate the powerful effects of educational volunteering on different educational levels including adult and children education as well as in the creation of a positive state of mind (Harp, Scherer, & Allen, 2017).…”

Communicating our way to engaged volunteers: A mediated process model of volunteer communication, engagement, and commitment

“…In accordance with this need, exacerbated by the continually decreasing trend of volunteerism in the USA (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016), previous work has focused largely on concepts that help explain the length of volunteer service, such as satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intentions to quit (Allen & Mueller, 2013; Cnaan & Cascio, 1998; Miller, Adair, Nicols, & Smart, 2014). Recently, volunteer literature has acknowledged the role of engagement as another aspect which may help explain the influence of volunteers' experiences on subsequent attendance outcomes (Alfes, Shantz, & Bailey, 2015; Harp, Scherer, & Allen, 2016; Huynh, Xanthopoulou, & Winefield, 2014; Malinen & Harju, 2016). Other studies have made the case for studying volunteers' work engagement to gain a better understanding of volunteers' performance, about which less is known (Haivas, Hofmans, & Peperman, 2013).…”

“…Alfes et al (2015) similarly found that volunteers' work engagement mediated the relationship between two types of organizational support (i.e., task‐focused and emotion‐focused) and intention to leave their organizations. In contrast to this approach, Harp et al (2016) examined two negative volunteer demands, role ambiguity and various work constraints (e.g., inadequate help from others, poor equipment or supplies, volunteer supervisor, other volunteers, lack of necessary information, etc. ), both of which were associated with volunteer engagement, though it should be noted that some of the items included under the heading of work constraints certainly operationalize a lack of support from the volunteer organization.…”