Perceived costs and benefits of volunteering

Summary of the study

The aim of this study is to determine whether the perceived benefits and costs of volunteering at non-profit organizations and for-profit sporting events are the same and how these influence volunteer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. A survey was used to collect data from the German Gymnastics Championships, a tournament organized by the German Gymnastics Federation and eight non-profit sports clubs. From a theoretical perspective, the results underpin the basis of social exchange theory. Volunteer managers should be aware of the fact that the perceived costs and benefits differ between club and event volunteers. Social capital influences the behavioral intentions of event volunteers, but not the behavioral intentions of association volunteers.

Key findings of this study

• The study supports the social exchange theory in the context of volunteering. It shows that volunteers weigh up perceived benefits and costs, which influences their satisfaction and future intentions.
• Perceived costs differ depending on the volunteering context. Association volunteers experience significantly more stress and question the usefulness of their tasks. Event volunteers, on the other hand, cite a lack of skills and disorganization as more serious costs.
• Volunteer satisfaction is influenced by benefits and costs. Benefits such as "career opportunities" and "social capital" have a positive effect. Costs such as "uselessness of work" and "stress" significantly reduce satisfaction.
• Social capital drives the behavioral intentions of event volunteers. Surprisingly, the perception of disorganization can also increase the intention to volunteer again, possibly because this is expected at events.
• For association volunteers, the personal development factor has a negative influence on the intention to continue volunteering. In addition, questioning the usefulness of their work has a strong negative impact on their future intentions.