Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Research and Reports
1 minute read

Predictors of turnover amongst volunteers A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

Introduction

This document offers a comprehensive analysis of why volunteers leave and how to keep them engaged. Through a detailed examination of 117 studies, it identifies crucial factors like job satisfaction, communication, and organizational support that influence a volunteer's decision to stay or leave.

Benefits for Volunteer Involving Organisations

Organisations can greatly benefit from this research by understanding the specific needs and motivations of their volunteers. Implementing strategies based on these insights can lead to improved retention rates, saving time and resources in recruiting and training new volunteers.

Practical Applications for Volunteer Management

For volunteer managers, this document provides a clear framework to enhance volunteer engagement. By focusing on effective communication, creating meaningful work designs, and fostering a supportive environment, managers can build a committed volunteer workforce. The emphasis on positive job attitudes and intrinsic motivation highlights the path towards a more satisfied and stable volunteer base.

Summary

This research not only sheds light on the complexities of volunteer turnover but also offers practical solutions for organisations aiming to retain their valuable volunteer workforce.

Downloads and sources

More about the authors

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

Guides

Protecting privacy for volunteers

Guide outlining key principles and considerations for protecting volunteers’ personal information.
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
General
Resources

Welcoming and Safe Volunteer Spaces

These guides and videos promote creating a judgment-free space for volunteers, emphasising inclusion for diverse groups and those facing challenges.
1 minute read
The Centre for Volunteering, Volunteering ACT, Volunteering Queensland, Volunteering SA&NT, Volunteering Tasmania, Volunteering Victoria, Volunteering WA, The Knowledge Base
Guides

How to adapt volunteer roles

Guide outlining how volunteering roles can be adapted to be more inclusive of people living with disability
1 minute read
Volunteering Victoria
Disability
Emergency Support Volunteering website
Tech

Emergency Support Volunteering website

The Emergency Support Volunteering website allows volunteers in Western Australia to register to help in emergencies, organisations needing support can also register to contact volunteers for assistance.
Volunteer database Recruitment Reporting
Be Collective
Tech

Be Collective

A volunteer management & community engagement platform. Be Collective is all about empowering volunteering and the organisations supporting volunteering to build stronger, more sustainable networks for doing good.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Social media Event management Donations
Volaby
Tech

Volaby

Volaby is an end-to-end volunteer and people management platform, enabling organisations to do more with less! Built from the collective voice of our volunteer managers using the platform, Volaby helps you automate and simplify the volunteer and manager experience to save time and scale impact.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
scheduled

Values Based Leadership

Values should be more than just words on a wall. Well-developed and defined organisational values can shape culture, guide action, and become one of your strongest tools for attracting volunteers.
Volunteering Victoria
Free
scheduled

Volunteer Management 101 

This interactive workshop provides participants with a sound understanding of best practice volunteer management. Participants will be taken through each stage of the volunteer’s involvement, based on the ‘life cycle’ model of volunteer management.
Volunteering Victoria
Free
scheduled

Bridge to Volunteering - An introduction to volunteering

Learn about volunteering including the benefits of volunteering, rights and responsibilities, and how to get involved in your community.
The Centre for Volunteering
Free