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VOLUNTEER RETENTION & INCENTIVES

WHAT INCENTIVES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE VOLUNTEERS DO

MORE?

Andrew Bergeron

Lamar University

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the motivation of volunteers in non-profit

organizations. This study seeks to answer the research question, what incentives are needed to

keep volunteers motivated in non-profit organizations? The underlying goal is to analyze the

guidelines of volunteer engagement and motivation and to determine whether or not non-profit

organizations should use these strategies as a point for change.

Keywords: volunteer retention, volunteer motivation, training, development

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Non-profit organizations face a large series of challenges today. Among these challenges

are fundraising, employee and volunteer retention, technology being used, donor relations, and

cause marketing to the general public. According to Nonprofit Pro, a website that discusses

these issues, non-profit organizations will continue to see “rampant turnover.” This identifies a

major trend of non-profit organizations, which is seeking to identify and retain the right talent to

perform the duties that they need to be done. The piece goes on to comment that, “This will be

on both ends of the spectrum, with more experienced employees aging or maxing out and

younger employees feeling that their energy and passion are underappreciated” (Norris, 2016).

As more and more non-profit organizations seek to grow and new board members seek higher

positions, the issue of volunteer retention and engagement will become a major trend that will

need to be addressed. This study seeks to look at literature as a point where solutions can be

given for non-profit organizations to use. Among the topics to be explored are: training and

development, using e-Portfolios in the volunteer training process, different psychological

variables in volunteering, predictors of volunteer retention, organization-management fit, and

financial incentives for volunteers. These topics play a major role in research as they all affect

volunteer retention and engagement.

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Training & Development

One of the first ways to promote engagement of volunteers is by offering training that

gives them ownership of the organization. The big question that must be answered is, “How

much training is appropriate in a non-profit organization?” According to a study in the Journal of

Organizational Behavior, “Training and development investments nurture an organization’s

overall learning culture” (Sung & Choi, 2013). This study further indicates that a climate of

innovation must exist within the organization to get a positive association with any training being

performed in an organization. (Sung et al. 2013). For some organizations, engagement has been

shown to increase through targeted investments in simulated-based training systems. In an

observed survey of interactive learning environments in Taiwan, game-based simulators were

used to teach students lessons about the culture of the country (Shih, Jheng, & Tseng, 2015).

Very little research had been done on this before, and this study seems to try to understand the

impacts of how a game can enhance learning. The “Taiwan Epic Game” served as a simulated

learning environment that allowed each player to develop a deeper understanding of their culture

awareness. The results found that “the game could effectively enhance players’ culture

awareness” (Shih et al. 2015).

Another affair that non-profit organizations may need to address in the future is the topic

of how their volunteers are trained in their respective organizations. These studies look at levels

of training as they pertain to job satisfaction and engagement. According to a study in human

resources, “Effective human resources practices are necessary to ensure that an organization

secures a competitive advantage” (Wei, Al-Emadi, & Schwabenland, 2015). The study further

goes on to mention that “job satisfaction, extrinsic rewards, component attachments, and

organizational commitment and retention are frequent reasons for not leaving” (Wei et al. 2015).

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This further corroborates what non-profit organizations will have to observe in the future

regarding motivation. According to a study in Third-Sector Research, volunteer motivation can

be driven through task leadership (Schie, Guntert, Oostlander, & Wehner, 2014). This study

highlights the importance of ensuring that volunteers understand what is being asked of them and

what they are being expected to do (Schie et al. 2014). Another study at the Indian Institute of

Management indicates that certain psychological traits, like self-efficacy, extraversion, and

universalism all play a key role in the motivation that a volunteer has in a non-profit organization

(Bathini & Vohra, 2014). Motivation will have to be looked at in closer detail in most non-profit

organizations as this seems to be a growing trend in volunteer work.

Involvement in Training Through e-Portfolios

The next point that organizations may want to consider is the ability to allow individuals

to become involved in their training. In a study at the University of Wolverhampton, two

dyslexic learners were examined using e-Portfolios in learning curricula and an ethnographic

approach was used to research the connection between academic staff and the dyslexic learners.

In the end, “…the students learning abilities were improved by the ability to use e-Portfolios in

their learning” (Hughes, Herrington, McDonald, & Rhodes, 2010). In addition to the above,

Further research indicates that information and communication technologies can have a profound

impact on training and the classroom. According to a study done in Serbia, new technologies can

cause literacy shifts in education and, in some aspects, can cause a digital divide to remain in

place among those learning the new technology. This study further goes on to indicate that, “…

digital literacy is a form of human capital that refers to knowledge and skills” (Radovanovic,

Hogan, & Lalic, 2015). In this case, knowledge and skills are not material, but they still refer to

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the absence of specific learned skills (Radovanovic et al. 2015). This technology appears to

greatly enhance the learning process in education, and its use in non-profit organizations will

have to be observed in greater detail at a later time. This is a key trend that can provide a solution

to training volunteers.

Variables in Volunteering

In addition to the above, there are a number of other sources that demonstrate the need to

look at the situational, organizational, and dispositional variables in volunteering. According to

a study in the Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing, “Volunteering behavior is a

global phenomenon” (Craig-Lees, Harris, & Lau, 2008). The “extrinsic value of volunteers is

estimated to be billions of dollars” (Craig-Lees et al. 2008). There is now a growing interest in

finding out the drivers of volunteerism, and in this study, the goal is to examine the personal

characteristics that influence the decision for people to volunteer in non-profit organizations. The

results of the study showed that the strongest influence on participation levels was the treatment

of volunteers in organizations. There is also a body of evidence that showed that the quality of

participation of volunteers also depends on situational factors, like the training received (Craig-

Lees et al. 2008). In addition to that, a study in the Sport Management Review attempted to take

a look at rugby clubs and determine the effectiveness of predicting problems at whether or not

volunteers are motivated. The efficacy of the management of volunteers was measured through

regression analysis. The result in this study found that relationships between retention and

volunteer management existed that caused severe problems. Rugby clubs that trained their

volunteers properly and had a more in-depth planning process for their volunteers often had

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fewer problems (Cuskelly, Taylor, Hoye, & Darcy, 2006). These studies point out the need to

train volunteers properly in any organization.

Predictors of Volunteer Retention

One point that might be made about volunteer retention in non-profit organizations

involves looking at the initial predictors of volunteer retention. There was a study done in

Administration and Society, and it took a look at volunteer service retention in the instance on

the Americorp National Service Organization. In this instance, a multilevel logistic regression

analysis was used to assess members of the corporation on different levels. The result of the

study found that members are more likely to complete their service to the program if the site

location in the organization involve their member in the planning process. The results suggest

that matching the institution to the individual in different tasks of the planning process can

increase retention (McBride & Lee, 2012). With this in mind, another source takes a look at this

plan with the healthcare system in mind. In another study in the American Journal of Hospice

and Palliative Medicine, the lens was put on hospice care volunteers and their satisfaction in the

healthcare world. A total of 41 volunteers were interviewed in an informal setting and had

discussions regarding their reason for volunteering in the first place. They were evaluated on

why they continue to volunteer, along with why they give so much service to the organization.

The result of the study found that most of the volunteers feel a need to make a difference in the

lives of others (Claxton-Oldfield & Claxton-Oldfield, 2012). This reinforces that point that

volunteer satisfaction can sometimes go hand-in-hand with retention.

Organization-Management Fit

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In regards to this theory, another examination attempted to look at the role of volunteer

retention in youth sports. In the Journal of Sports Management, a study attempted to look at the

fit between the organization, managerial treatment, empowerment, and the intention of the

volunteers to continue working. Data was collected from 55 volunteers in the American Youth

Soccer Organization (AYSO) for the research. The results found that volunteer-run organizations

need to focus on empowering their staff through the fit of the volunteer to the task, organization,

and the treatment from the management (Kim, Chelladurai, & Trail, 2007). This reinforces the

idea that each volunteer should feel a sense of pride and ownership in the non-profit organization

they are seeking to work in. The trend given in this example also proves that volunteers can be

inspired to contribute to a non-profit organization as long as they are supervised under good

management.

Another theory that will need to be examined in the future among non-profit

organizations is the link between person-organization fit and turnover. In a study that was

performed in China, “The results of a survey that we conducted among 256 Chinese civil

servants showed that employees’ personal identity and perceived person-organization fit and

turnover intention was significantly stronger among people with lower professional identity than

among those with higher professional identity” (Yueran, Fei, & Liu, 2016). This gives essence to

the point that how employees see themselves may have a significant role on how they volunteer

in a non-profit organization. This examination mentions that when it comes to organization-

management fit, this and job satisfaction should also be taken into consideration (Yueran et al.

2016). The result of the survey showed that professional identity was negatively related to

turnover intention among the Chinese employees who were the respondent group (Yueran et al.

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2016). More study is needed in this area, and non-profit organizations would greatly benefit from

looking at future in-depth analysis in this subject.

Financial Incentives

There is one other area that non-profit organizations may want to consider regarding the

retention of their volunteers. Research shows that stipends can commonly be used to increase

retention rates in volunteers. According to a study in the Public Administration Review, “A

stipend is some level of financial remuneration paid to an individual for performing volunteer

service” (McBride, Gonzales, Morrow-Howell, & McCrary, 2011). In this study, institutional

facilitators are given as features that leverage volunteer participation by giving them the support

they need to perform. Stipends are often seen to have perceived benefits, but very rarely has this

been studied. The result found that there are higher benefits to having stipends, but only with

volunteers that serve a longer duration than those who do not receive stipends (McBride et al.

2011). The study further states that stipends can go a long way to attract people to do volunteer

work who might otherwise not choose to do it (McBride et al. 2011).

There is more convincing evidence of this theory in a pilot program that was done at the

State Fire Marshal Division in Minnesota. In a periodical by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal,

volunteers had a good chance to experience if they would have a more engaging chance at

volunteering with the fire department (West, 2015). In 2014, the Minnesota Legislature passed a

bill that set-up a $500 Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Stipend program to be done in 14

counties. The intent was to give a $500 stipend to assist volunteer on call fire departments in the

counties to gain more retention in their EMS recruitment. Each volunteer will be listed on a state

roster that will pay a lump sum of cash to each volunteer for their service, based on recruitment.

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In order to be eligible for the money, a volunteer must have been active in the fire department of

their county for at least a year (West et al. 2015). The results of this pilot program are still being

determined, but this concept identifies a need for further research in this area.

Findings

While some areas like volunteer retention may have been studied before, there is still

more research to do in this field. Various aspects of training are needed to ensure that all

volunteers feel a sense of engagement in the non-profit organizations they serve. Even though

many volunteers do so out of the goodness of their heart, more studies need to be conducted to

see if incentives like money should be given to volunteers, based on their length of service to

their organization. In the instance of training, e-Portfolios can help an individual become more

involved in their training, while also increasing their digital literacy.

Other considerations of volunteer retention include satisfaction within the role a

volunteer is playing, and the link between the organization and the fit of the volunteer. There are

many areas of research that have been done here, but this area still need more study to determine

what the most effective links are. These references illustrate many good points, but further

research will need to be done in the future to find more evidence to back-up these claims. This

literature review seeks to understand the educational links between training, incentives, and how

they retain volunteers in a non-profit organization. As part of the research methodology,

triangulation mixed-methods research will be done to find the links between incentives and

retention in non-profit organizations. These findings and answers to the research question

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illustrate some of the steps that non-profit organizations could take to improve relations between

their volunteers.

References

Bathini, D. R., & Vohra, N. (2014, April). Volunteering: The Role of Individual-Level

Psychological Variables. Journal for Decision Makers, 39(2), 113-126. Retrieved

December 12, 2016.

Claxton-Oldfield, S., & Claxton-Oldfield, J. (2012). Should I Stay or Should I Go: A Study of

Hospice Palliative Care Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention. American Journal Of

Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 29(7), 525-530. doi:10.1177/1049909111432622

Craig-Lees, M., Harris, J., & Lau, W. (2008). The Role of Dispositional, Organizational and

Situational Variables in Volunteering. Journal Of Nonprofit & Public Sector

Marketing, 19(2), 1-24. doi:10.1300/J054v19n02-01

Cuskelly, G., Taylor, T., Hoye, R., & Darcy, S. (2006). Volunteer Management Practices and

Volunteer Retention: A Human Resource Management Approach. Sport Management

Review, 9(Sport Volunteerism), 141-163. doi:10.1016/S1441-3523(06)70023-7

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Hughes, J., Herrington, M., Mcdonald, T., & Rhodes, A. (2010). E-portfolios and personalized

learning: Research in practice with two dyslexic learners in UK higher

education. Dyslexia,17(1), 48-64. doi:10.1002/dys.418

Kim, M., Chelladurai, P., & Trail, G. T. (2007). A Model of Volunteer Retention in Youth

Sport. Journal Of Sport Management, 21(2), 151-171.

McBride, A. M., Gonzales, E., Morrow-Howell, N., & McCrary, S. (2011). Stipends in

Volunteer Civic Service: Inclusion, Retention, and Volunteer Benefits. Public

Administration Review, 71(6), 850-858.

McBride, A. M., & Lee, Y. (2012). Institutional predictors of volunteer retention: The case

of Americorps National Service. Administration & Society, 44(3), 343-

366. doi:10.1177/0095399711413729

Norris, S. (2016). 80 Nonprofit Trends for 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016, from

http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/80-nonprofit-trends-for-2016/all/

Radovanovic, D., Hogan, B., & Lalic, D. (2015). Overcoming digital divides in higher education:

Digital literacy beyond Facebook. New Media & Society, 17(10), 1733-1749.

doi:10.1177/1461444815588323

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Schie, S. V., Güntert, S. T., Oostlander, J., & Wehner, T. (2014). How the Organizational

Context Impacts Volunteers: A Differentiated Perspective on Self-determined

Motivation. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit

Organizations, 26(4), 1570-1590. doi:10.1007/s11266-014-9472-z

Shih, J., Jheng, S., & Tseng, J. (2015). A simulated learning environment of history

games for enhancing players’ cultural awareness. Interactive Learning

Environments, 23(2), 191-211. doi:10.1080/10494820.2014.997249

Sung, S. Y., & Choi, J. N. (2013). Do organizations spend wisely on employees? Effects of

training and development investments on learning and innovation in

organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(3), 393-412. doi:10.1002/job.1897

Wei, Q., Al-Emadi, A. A., & Schwabenland, C. (2015, November 3). The Vital Role of

Employee Retention in Human Resource Management: A Literature Review. The IUP

Journal of Organizational Behavior, XIV. Retrieved December 12, 2016.

West, B. (2015). Recruitment and retention stipend pilot program being tested. Minnesota Fire

Chief, 51(4), 38.

YUERAN, W., FEI, Z., & LIU, L. (2016). PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT AND TURNOVER

INTENTION: PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY AS A MODERATOR. Social Behavior &

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Personality: An International Journal, 44(8), 1233-1242.

doi:10.2224/sbp.2016.44.8.1233

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