High-performance human resource practices and volunteer engagement: The role of empowerment and organizational identification

Year Published:

Abstract

Volunteering research has long focused on the characteristics of volunteers and their motivations to highlight what drives them to dedicate their free time to good causes. More recently, researchers have turned their attention toward exploring the management practices that nonprofit organizations can implement to promote volunteers’ motivations and thereby improve their attitudes and performance. Our study contributes to this research by analyzing the extent to which combinations of human resource practices can be leveraged to influence volunteers’ level of engagement in their role. Survey results from 256 volunteers in five different nonprofit organizations in the Netherlands support our hypothesized model. Specifically, high-performance human resource practices are related positively to volunteer engagement, and volunteers’ organizational identification and psychological empowerment can account for a significant portion of variance in this relationship. Implications for research and the professional management of volunteers are discussed.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What factors impact volunteer recruitment and retention in nonprofit organizations?

This document summarizes the state of available evidence regarding what factors impact nonprofit organizations’ ability to recruit and retain volunteers. It aims to answer the following questions: What practices can managers implement to improve volunteer recruitment and retention in their organization? What are the gaps in the current research on volunteer recruitment and retention?  

About this study

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: No evidence about impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Paid

POPULATION: Other

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: No evidence about impact

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2019

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