Retention of Volunteers

This study focused on the Australian health sector, examining the factors that influence the intention of volunteers to leave their employing organizations. There is a general scarcity of research concerning volunteer work, and understanding health sector volunteers is particularly important due to the significance of their contribution in Australia. In exploring volunteer work, this study has utilized a variant of the Mathieu and Zajac (1990) model of organizational commitment. In the health sector much of the work performed by volunteers is very similar to that done by paid employees. In addition, in the Australian health sector volunteers and paid employees often work alongside one another. The study discusses key findings and presents recommendations for relating to effective management of volunteers in the health sector. As a secondary outcome, the study demonstrates the value of judiciously using models and measures normally associated with paid employment in understanding volunteer activity. It is anticipated that these outcomes will inform future research within the volunteer sector.