Skip to main content

What are you looking for?

Enter keywords to search across resources, guides, training, tools, and more.

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.

Forner, V. W., Holtrop, D., Boezeman, E. J., Slemp, G. R., Kotek, M., Kragt, D., Askovic, M., & Johnson, A. (2024). Predictors of turnover amongst volunteers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 45(3), 434–458. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2729


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

Resources

Volunteer Management Handbook

The Volunteer Management Handbook E-learning Series is a free resource designed to help new, existing and aspiring Volunteer Managers in their role.
1 minute read
The Centre for Volunteering, The Knowledge Base
Resources

Becoming an Inclusive Volunteer Involving Organisation

This free e-learning course helps volunteer organisations create a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture.
1 minute read
Volunteering ACT, The Centre for Volunteering, Volunteering Queensland, Volunteering SA&NT, Volunteering Tasmania, Volunteering Victoria, Volunteering WA, The Knowledge Base
Videos or Webinars

Sport Volunteering Webinar Series

Free volunteer recruitment, management and retention tips in our webinar series for Australian sporting organisations.
1 minute read
Australian Sports Commission
Youth or Student, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) +2 more
MyPass
Tech

MyPass

MyPass is volunteer onboarding and compliance management software centred around a digital Skills Passport, designed to help volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) reduce their risk and cost of operations.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
GoodCompany
Tech

GoodCompany

GoodCompany is a Workplace Giving Platform based in Australia and NZ. It's designed to enable companies and their people to come together to donate, volunteer, fundraise, and match donations for the charities closest to their hearts.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement 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

Intro to the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement

This workshop guides participants through the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement, Australia’s best practice roadmap for volunteering professionals.
Volunteering Victoria
FREE
scheduled

Introduction to the Volunteer Involvement Cycle

Introducing the Volunteer Involvement Cycle, a new resource aligned with the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement. This session guides you through the key stages of volunteer engagement, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to run an effective, sustainable & impactful volunteer program
Volunteering Victoria
FREE
scheduled

Making Volunteer Data Meaningful

The session will focus on data visualisation and some practical and easy ways to show the impact your volunteers make. This is the second of two sessions. The first was held in October last year with a focus on collecting and analysing volunteer data and reporting outcomes.
Volunteering Tasmania
Free