Enhancing Volunteer Retention: The Role of Experienced Volunteers

Abstract

Volunteers play a pivotal role in the daily operations of nonprofit organizations (NPOs). However, retaining volunteers remains a critical challenge for NPOs due to declining volunteering rates and high turnover. We explore a cost-effective approach to improving volunteer retention by leveraging the potential of experienced volunteers. Using data from 45,315 volunteers at a food bank over a four-year period, we explore how interactions between experienced and new volunteers affect the latter’s retention. Our findings indicate that the presence of experienced volunteers in a shift increases new volunteer retention by 14.6%, with a stronger 71% increase for group volunteers. However, we find that increased familiarity among experienced volunteers negates this positive effect. This negative effect depends on the uncertainty inherent in the tasks undertaken by the volunteers. NPO managers can strategically leverage experienced volunteers by scheduling them across shifts to provide support for new volunteers, as well as reassigning them from shifts with excess experienced volunteers to those lacking their presence. To mitigate the potential negative effects of strong social bonds among experienced volunteers, managers should formally assign new volunteers to each experienced volunteer, rotate experienced volunteers across tasks or stations, and establish guidelines that encourage active engagement between experienced and new volunteers.

Keywords: nonprofit operations, volunteer management, retention, experience, familiarity