124 Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofi t Organizations
than 10 million healthy adults with no caregiving responsibilities who are
looking for paid and volunteer work (Zedlewski & Butrica, 2007). Another
study found that the majority of adults who volunteer while working con-
tinue to volunteer after retirement, and a signifi cant share of older adults not
involved in formal volunteering activities while working begin volunteering
after they retire. The postretirement volunteer groups include 1.3 million
new volunteers and 1.9 million experienced volunteers (Zedlewski, 2007).
Agencies must be able to communicate what a volunteer position
requires, both verbally and with written job descriptions. Each position
should have a description that outlines the job ’ s duties and responsibilities,
as well as the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOCs)
required to perform it. For example, a volunteer bus or van driver might
need a chauffeur ’ s license or be required to take a driving test. Volunteers
who want to work with children will be subject to a background investi-
gation. Work hours should also be specifi ed in the description. Prospec-
tive volunteers need to be told whether the working hours for a position
are fl exible or will require a commitment to meet a specifi c number of
hours per week or specifi c days. In this way, they are clear about what is
expected of them (Alexander, 1991; Anderson & Baroody, 1992).
Volunteers should be asked to complete applications identifying their
interests, special skills, and preferred working days and hours. This infor-
mation enables the organization to match the interest and skills of the
volunteers with the positions available. For example, someone who volunteers
for social interaction would be unhappy working in isolation. Exhibit 5.1
presents the application form used by a local government. Notice the variety
of skills the boards and commissions are seeking. Included are the term
lengths and how often meetings are held.
The key for motivating and retaining volunteers is fi nding the best
employee - position match. Dailey (1986) noted that job satisfaction plays
a critical role in understanding the commitment to volunteer. It is necessary
to design volunteer tasks so they are enriching. Dailey found that work
autonomy, job involvement, and feedback from the work itself were strong
predictors of organizational commitment. Jamison (2003) found that
volunteer turnover is reduced when volunteers receive preservice and
in - service training and are assigned challenging tasks.
An organization that wants to make itself more attractive to potential
volunteers might consider reimbursing clients for out - of - pocket expenses
such as meals and transportation, provide fl exibility in scheduling volun-
teer hours, increase position responsibilities, and work with private sector
agencies that encourage employee volunteerism. To be competitive in