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

The Relationship Between Leadership Behaviors and Volunteer Commitment: The Role of Volunteer Satisfaction

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

Introduction

This document summarises research on the dynamics of leadership, job satisfaction, and commitment within volunteer organisations. It delves into how leadership styles, organisational culture, and volunteer motivation impact satisfaction and retention. The studies underscore the importance of empowerment, organisational learning, and specific leadership behaviours in enhancing volunteer engagement and commitment.

Benefits for Volunteer Organisations

For volunteer organisations and management practitioners, this document offers valuable insights into fostering a positive environment for volunteers. It highlights:

Leadership that focuses on enabling learning and innovation boosts volunteer satisfaction, which in turn, enhances their commitment to the organisation.

Encouraging a culture of learning and innovation among volunteers not only increases their satisfaction but also their affective commitment, leading to better organisational performance.

Understanding the mediating role of volunteer satisfaction between leadership behaviours and volunteer commitment can help organisations tailor their management practices to retain volunteers effectively.

Application

This document serves as a crucial resource for volunteer organisations aiming to improve volunteer engagement and well-being, ultimately contributing to sustained volunteerism and organisational success.

Benevene Paula , Buonomo Ilaria , West Michael. The Relationship Between Leadership Behaviors and Volunteer Commitment: The Role of Volunteer Satisfaction. Frontiers in Psychology, VOL 11, 2020 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.602466 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.602466, ISSN: 1664-1078

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

Information

Including volunteering in your CV

Guidance for volunteers on how to include volunteering experience in a CV or résumé to demonstrate skills and experience.
1 minute read
Volunteering Australia
General
Research and Reports

Paradoxes Within the Management of Volunteers

This research offers a different perspective on volunteer management in non-profit organisations, moving beyond traditional ideas of challenges and solutions.
1 minute read
Anders la Cour, Lesley Hustinx, Nina Eliasoph
General
VIKTOR Lite
Tech

VIKTOR Lite

VIKTOR Lite enables volunteer involving organisations to recruit volunteers via a range of websites run by local governments, state peaks, local volunteer resource centres, Volunteering Australia and SEEK Volunteer.
Volunteer database Recruitment Onboarding / training Reporting
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
SEEK Volunteer
Tech

SEEK Volunteer

SEEK Volunteer helps connect people to volunteering opportunities that enrich their communities, lives and careers.
Recruitment
scheduled

National Standards Conversations

The session includes small-group discussions, where participants can share their approaches, ask questions, and explore challenges in a collaborative setting. You’ll also have the opportunity to seek guidance from our experienced trainer.
Volunteering Victoria
Free
scheduled

2026 Queensland Volunteering Conference

Join volunteer leaders and sector professionals at the 2026 Queensland Volunteering Conference to explore sustainable futures, share insights, strengthen practice and build lasting community impact.
Volunteering Queensland
A$180.00
scheduled

Managing Volunteers in Grassroots Settings: The Basics 2 hours

Designed for grassroots organisations, this workshop introduces the fundamentals of managing volunteers across the volunteer lifecycle.
Volunteering Victoria
Free