Episodic Volunteering and Retention

By Melissa K. Hyde, Jeff Dunn, C. Bax, S. Chambers. 2016

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Episodic volunteers (EVs) are vital for non-profit organization activities. However, theory-based research on episodic volunteering is scant and the determinants of episodic volunteering are not well understood. This study integrates the volunteer process model and three-stage model of volunteers’ duration of service to explore determinants of EV retention. A cross-sectional survey of 340 EVs assessed volunteering antecedents, experiences, and retention. Social/enjoyment (β = .17) and benefit (β = −.15) motives, social norm (β = .20), and satisfaction (β = .56) predicted Novice EV (first experience) retention; satisfaction (β = .47) and commitment (β = .38) predicted Transition EV (2-4 years intermittently) retention; and supporting the organization financially (β = .31), social norm (β = .18), satisfaction (β = .41), and commitment (β = .19) predicted Sustained EV (5-6 years consecutively) retention. Integrated theoretical approaches appear efficacious for understanding EV retention. An Episodic Volunteer Engagement and Retention model is proposed for further testing in prospective work.

Subfields: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/e0f3946bd7938f08cb54e3d0c62216e3bde10f50