Developing Generation-Based Volunteer Management Practices (2016)

01/09/2016

This thesis researched recruitment, retention, and management practices satisfaction from a small group of volunteers from a perspective of generational differences. It presents some generation-specific practices which could be used by managers of volunteers for recruitment, recognition, and retention.

Summary:

Every person alive is grouped into one of the accepted generations: Silent (born 1925-1945), Baby Boomer (1946-1964), X (1965-1980), Y (1981-2000), and Z (2001 on) – although the variation in definitions for birth date ranges for each group was noted.

The view is that each generation’s experiences, lifestyle, values, and generational history influences their engagement and retention as a volunteer. A sample group of 20 people was interviewed, evenly split between the five generations – this limited sample size could give misleading results and should be considered in any follow on work.

Key findings are:

that non-profit organizations need to have structured volunteer programs with effective volunteer management practices, as they believe this helps to increase engagement and retention.
Each group believed that more needs to be done to ensure their specific age group has volunteer practices that are unique to their value system.

Table 22 in the thesis summarises recruitment, recognition, and retention practices relevant to each generation but some key items are:

Silent Generation: recruitment through traditional methods with a message of “We value, desire, and need your knowledge and experience. Recognition needs to be flexible, with suggestions of milestone badges and an end of year meal. Retention is based on providing opportunities with are meaningful, focus on skills and experiences, include mentorship and leadership, include networking and telling the story in the community.

Baby Boomer Generation: recruitment through a combination of high-tech media/technology and traditional methods including recruitment agencies and corporate relationships with a message of “We value your time, let us show you how.” Recognition needs to be flexible and offer opportunities for work-life balance, challenging work, mentoring, and recognition in print. Retention needs to focus on skills and work to be done with volunteering positions managed like paid positions with job descriptions, training and benefits. Showing personal impact and pairing opportunities with education or part time work can be useful.

Generation X: recruitment by multiple technological and online methods with a focus on local, identifying the end results, the need, and limited family-friendly opportunities with a message of “Be the change for at least one individual.” Recognition should encourage flexibility and freedom to meet goals with no micro-managing, encourage creativity, with regular feedback and using current technology to provide up to date information. Retention should be based on flexibility in roles and schedules, casual workplace, offering technology centred work, meaning assignments with the opportunity for the volunteer to provide opinions. Ease of participation with brief meetings and recognition of individual contributions are important.

Generation Y: recruitment by digital means including social media. Peer recruitment is useful and with a focus on the cause/mission, the interests of the community, and promoting collaboration with exciting and challenging opportunities. The message should be based on fostering teamwork and collaboration. Recognition should be based on socializing and networking and in social media. Letters of reference and personal gift cards are valued. Retention is about providing meaningful responsible position with opportunities for leadership development and creativity. They should be engaged quickly, kept busy, and provided with immediate feedback while respecting them as equals and allowing them to ask questions.

Generation Z: recruitment is totally digital with social media (including YouTube) on mobile devices. The offer needs to be based on a solid company brands and to provide opportunities for team collaboration and to use and gain skills, with a message of “Change the future both locally and globally.” Recognition should be by personal gift cards and publicly in social media while providing opportunities for entrepreneurship. Retention is based on opportunities for advancement and meaning work with up-to-date technology.

Reference: Developing Generation-Based Volunteer Management Practices. Tonya Renee' Howard, PhD Thesis. Walden. 2016

Available from: http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3073&context=dissertations