worldculture

Culture,communicationandglobalizationOrganizationandleadershipAalborgUniversityAugust2008Volunteersandwell-beingTheleaders'functionsinvoluntaryorganizationsandtheimportanceofvolunteerswell-beingKarolinaHeidarsdottirJensenAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust20082Volunteersandwell-being:Theleaders'functionsinvoluntaryorganizationsandtheimportanceofvolunteerswell-beingCharacters:18.
255Pages:Totalamountis68pages,buttheprojectitselfis53pages.
Supervisor:SteenFrybaChristensenStudent:KarolinaHeidarsdottirJensenAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust20083Inthisessay,Ifocusedonvoluntaryorganizationsandtherelationsbetweentheirleadersandvolunteers.
TherearemanydifferenttypesofvoluntaryorganizationsintheDanishsociety,andIchosetobasetheresearchontwoorganizations,thatbothhaveaclientcontactandaimtocounselandprovidehelptopeoplewhoneedhelp.
Intheresearch,Iaimedtofindoutwhatleadersofvoluntaryorganizationscandoinrelationstothevoluntaryworkforce,sotheorganizationcanfunctioninanoptimalway,andwhattheycandotoincreasetheirvolunteers'well-being.
Themethodologicalapproachinvolvedqualitativemethods,wherethedatacollectionwasqualitativeinterviewswithfourparticipants.
TwooftheparticipantswereconsultantsforleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsintheNorthernregionofDenmark,andtwoofthemwereleadersoforganizations,thathavebothvolunteersandprofessionalworkers.
Theresearchproblemrequiredthetheoreticalapproachtocomefrommultipletheories,mainlywithinsociology,psychologyandorganizationaltheories.
Theleaders'assignmentsrequireawiderangeofknowledgeandexperiencewithinthoseareas,andthatiswhyitbecamenecessarytousetheoriesfromdifferentorigins.
Thetheoreticalapproachwaspartlybasedontheideologybehindorganizationalculturetheories,andsocializationprocesses.
Todefinewell-beingandtosetfocusonthebasicneedsofhumanbeings,IfounditnecessarytointroduceMaslow'shierarchyofbasicneeds.
Ialsousedtheoriesaboutcoachingandthecoachingprocesses,organizationalclimate,andthevolunteers'motivation.
Thosetheorieswereusedtocreatetheinterviewguides(seeattachment1and2),thatwasavailedintheinterviews.
Theresultswerethattheleaders'functionsinvoluntaryorganizationsarequiteimportantinrelationtothevolunteers.
Itisimportantthattheymakeanefforttofindtherightvolunteersfortheorganization,andcreateagoodworkenvironmentsothevolunteersfeelgoodattheworkplace.
ItisvitalthatthevolunteersfeelacknowledgedandAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust20084appreciated,andtheyhaveanopportunitytohavesomeinfluencewithintheorganizations'workframes.
Allthatisapartofeachvolunteers'well-being,andthatmakesitnecessaryforleaderstohavefocusonthevolunteers'well-being.
Withoutvoluntaryworkforce,theorganizationwilleventuallycollapseasavoluntaryorganization.
Theleadershaveseveraloptionstoincreasethevolunteers'senseofwell-being,andtheycanusetheirimaginationtofindmethodstodoso.
Thosemethodscanbebothsystematicandmoreindividualized.
Bothapproachesareimportantbutleadershavetotakeeachvolunteersneedsinconsiderationandseethemasagroupofindividuals.
Somevolunteersmightprefersystematicapproach,othersmoreindividualized,andtheleadershavetofindanoptimalbalancefortheorganizationtofunction.
Basedonthoseresults,Imadeaprocessmodel,builtonthekeywords:motivation,acknowledgement,well-being,andvoluntaryworkforce.
Ihopethatitcouldbeusefultoleadersofvoluntaryorganizations,andthattheresultscanraiseadebateabouttheimportanceofvolunteers'well-beinginorganizations.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust20085Index1.
Introduction71.
1.
Researchfield.
81.
2.
Researchproblem91.
3.
Theproject'sprocedure.
92.
Methodologicalapproach.
102.
1.
Qualitativemethods102.
2.
Datacollection112.
3.
Indexingandanalysis.
122.
4.
Reliabilityandvalidation.
132.
5.
Interviewguidesandresearchquestions142.
6.
Ethicsinresearches.
152.
7.
Participants162.
7.
1.
Introductionoftheparticipants.
172.
8.
Summary183.
Theoreticalapproach193.
1.
Organizationalculture.
203.
2.
Workrelationsinvoluntaryorganizations.
223.
3.
Maslow'shierarchyofbasicneeds.
233.
4.
Coaching,mentoringandtrainingprograms243.
5.
Organizationalenvironment.
253.
5.
1.
Importanceoftrust.
273.
6.
Motivationandidentity.
273.
7.
Well-beingbeingtheresult.
293.
8.
Theoreticalproblems303.
9.
Summary314.
Dataanalysis324.
1.
Theleaders'functions324.
1.
1.
Leaderversusmanager324.
1.
2.
Inrelationtovolunteers334.
1.
3.
Inlargerperspective344.
2.
Thevolunteersmotivation35AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200864.
3.
Recruitingvolunteers.
364.
3.
1.
Findingtherightones.
374.
3.
2.
Recruitmentprocess374.
3.
3.
Startingasavolunteer.
384.
3.
4.
Socializationprocesses.
394.
4.
Professionalsversusvolunteers.
404.
4.
1.
Whenpaidworkersareneeded404.
4.
2.
Differentdemands.
414.
4.
3.
Benefitsfromthecooperation.
424.
5.
Thevolunteers'impact434.
6.
Workenvironment454.
6.
1.
Thevolunteers'background464.
6.
2.
Trustingthevolunteers.
464.
6.
3.
Democracyattheworkplace.
474.
7.
Lackofvolunteers.
484.
8.
Relationsbetweenwell-beingandvoluntarism.
494.
9.
Methodstoincreasevolunteerswell-being514.
9.
1.
Systematicmethods.
514.
9.
2.
Individualizedmethods.
524.
10.
Summary535.
Conclusion.
555.
1.
Mainconclusions.
555.
2.
Relevancefromtheleadersperspective.
575.
3.
Processmodel.
575.
4.
Continuanceoftheresearch585.
5.
Finalwords59Literature60Pictures.
64Attachment1.
65Attachment2.
67AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200871.
IntroductionAclevermannamedEdgarScheinstatedthattherewasmoretobeinghumanthanjustbeingphysical.
Itisalsobeingaculturalconstruction.
1Thehumanbeingisaverycomplexphenomenon,andeachandeveryonehassomeneedsthatneedsfulfilling.
Doingvoluntarywork,canbeapartofthatprocessandcontributetoaperson'swell-being.
Thatmakesitinterestingtoresearchtherelationsbetweenvolunteers'well-beingandleadership.
Volunteersareabigpartofvoluntaryorganizations,andifnoonefeelsmotivatedtodovoluntarywork,thevoluntaryorganizationscouldnotexist.
Inthisessay,Iintendtofocusontheserelationsfromtheleaders'perspectives.
Leadershavetomakesurethattheorganizationscanfunctioninanoptimalway,andtodothattheyhavetohavevoluntaryworkforce,andbeawareoftheirvolunteers'well-being.
Despiteallthetypesofvoluntaryorganizationsatthemarkettoday,Ihavechosentofocusonvoluntaryorganizationswithaclientcontact.
Inotherwords,thatreferstovoluntaryorganizationsthatgoalsaretohelptheirclientswithadirectcontactbetweentheorganizationsworkersandtheclients,byprovidingcounselingorothernecessaryaidtothem.
TheorganizationsIuseintheresearchalsohaveitincommon,bothtohavevolunteersandprofessionalworkers.
EventhoughIfocusontheseorganizations,Ibelievethattheresultscangiveaninsightintothevoluntaryenvironmentasitistoday,becauseallvoluntaryorganizationsarerelyingonvoluntaryworkforce.
Thatmakesitcrucialforallleadersofvoluntaryorganizationstofocusontherelationsbetweenthevolunteersandtheorganizations,andtobeconcernedaboutthevolunteers'well-being.
Inthischapter,Iwillintroducetheresearchfieldandtheresearchproblem.
Iwillendbyintroducingupcomingchaptersandtheproject'sprocedure.
1Schein.
2004:171AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200881.
1.
ResearchfieldTherearemainlythreetypesoforganizations:Privateorganizations,publicorganizationsandvoluntaryorganizations.
Undernormalcircumstances,themaindifferenceinvolvesthepurposesandtheaimsoftheorganizations;whereprivateorganizationstrytomakeasmuchprofitaspossiblefortheowners,thepublicorganizationstrytoservethesocietyinthebestpossibleway,andvoluntaryorganizationsthatusuallyhavethemaingoaltohelpothersandpromotesomeideals.
2SometimesvoluntaryorganizationsarereferredtoasNGO's,thatis,Non-GovernmentalOrganizations,buttherearealsoothernames.
Thethirdsectorhasalsobeenusedandreferstovoluntaryorganizations;theothertwosectorsarethestateandthemarked.
3NGOisarelativelynewname;atleastitwasnotascommonsomedecadesago,asitistoday.
Beforeitwasmorecommontousenamesasforexamplenonprofit-organizationsandthethirdsector,buttheywereconsideredtohaveanegativemeaning.
4BirgitPerlt,aseniorconsultantatCenterforvoluntarywork(Danish:Centerforfrivilligtsocialtarbejde),considersatraditionalvoluntaryworktobeprovidingfinancialaidtotheorganizationsclients.
Today,thetraditionalformisnotascommonasitwasfewdecadesago.
Itwaspartlyreplacedwithamoremodernformofvoluntaryworkthatinvolvesmoredirectcontactbetweentheorganizationsworkersandclients,inordertocreatenetworkaroundtheclients.
5ThattypeoforganizationsisthetypeIfocusoninmyresearch.
Thedevelopmenthasbeenthatithasgottenmorecommon,atleastinScandinavia,forthestatetosupportvoluntaryorganizations.
Today,thoseorganizationsaresometimesjustasdependentonthestateasthestateisonthem,sincemanyoftheorganizationsprovidehelporassistancetothecitizens,thatthestatewouldhavetoprovideforotherwise.
6Thatdevelopmenthasalsodonethattherehasbeenmorefocusonprofessionalizing,andthathasresultedinincreasednumberofprofessional,paidworkerswithinvoluntaryorganizations.
72Bager,ObelandSgaard.
2001:14-153Klausen.
1990:264Klausen.
1995:1015Perlt.
2004:516Klausen.
1995:96-987Klausen.
1990:153AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust20089ResearchesatthisfieldarerelativelynewhereintheNordiccountries.
Someresearchhasbeenmadeonthehistoryandpoliticalroleofsomespecialorganizations,butitwasnotuntilinthe1980'sthatsomeresearchconcerningvoluntaryorganizations,asawhole,weremade.
8Intheyears1994-1996anextensiveresearchwasmadecalledFrivillighediNorden.
Oneofthefocusareaswasaboutthevolunteers'profiles.
TheresultswerethatamongtheNordiccountries(Denmark,Finland,Iceland,NorwayandSweden)theaveragepercentofvolunteerswas69%female,around47%ofthevolunteerswereoversixtyyearsold(althoughtherewasadifferencebetweenthecountries),andtheaverageamountofworkhourswasnineteenhoursaweek.
9Accordingtothoseresults,thetypicalvolunteerisawomanattheretirementagethatdoesnineteenhoursofvoluntaryworkaweek.
1.
2.
ResearchproblemTheresearchproblemisthebaseoftheresearchandaredthreadthroughouttheproject.
Afterlookingintotheresearchfield,Ifoundthisresearchproblemmostinterestingandworthexamining,becauseitisquiterelevantforleadersofvoluntaryorganizations.
Theresearchprobleminthisprojectistwofold:1.
3.
Theproject'sprocedureTheprojectconsistsoffivechapters,alongwiththeattachmentsandliteraturelist.
Inthenextchapter,Iintroducethemethodologicalapproachtotheresearch,alongwiththedatausedintheresearch.
Thethirdchaptercontainsthetheoreticalperspectivesandtherelevantconcepts,andthekeywordsthereareorganizationalculture,hierarchyofbasicneeds,coaching,organizationalclimate,andmotivation.
Afterthatchapter,thedataisanalyzed,withafocusontheresearchproblem.
Finally,themainconclusionsaredrawntogetherandtherelevanceisevaluatedfromtheleaders'perspectives.
8HenriksenandIbsen.
2001:99Habermann.
2001:88-92Whatcanleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsdoinrelationtovoluntaryworkforce,sotheorganizationscanfunctionoptimallyWhatcantheydotoincreasethevolunteers'well-beingAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008102.
MethodologicalapproachThischapterisaboutthemethodologicalapproach,andhowthemethodologyisappliedintheresearch.
Themethodologyinthisresearchisinthespiritofqualitativemethods,andcontainedfourparticipants.
Thesecondsectionisaboutthedatacollection,andafterthattheindexingandanalysisofthedataisdiscussed.
Section2.
4.
isaboutthedatavalidationandtheresearchreliability.
Inthischapter,therewillalsobecoverageofdevelopmentoftheinterviewguides,relevantquestions,andethicalthoughtsandreflectionsthatcameupintheprocess.
Finally,thereisadescriptionoftheparticipants,andhowIfoundthem.
Intheveryend,thereisasummaryofthischapter'sfootage.
2.
1.
QualitativemethodsQualitativeresearchmethodsareverycommonandwidelyknown,especiallyinsocialsciences.
10Theyseektodefineandexplainacertainpatternthatcanonlybereachedwithcertainmethods.
11Thepurposeisnottogeneralize,buttodescribe,explicateandunderstandsomephenomenonorincidents.
Qualitativeresearchmethodstrytoelucidatehowthehumanbeingscreatetheirsociologicrealityandtrytounderstandasocialphenomenonfromtheparticipants'perspectives.
Thatiswhatmakesqualitativemethodssuitabletogetawholepictureofexperiencesandsituationsoffewindividuals.
Insteadofgeneralizing,thepurposeistointerpretandanalyzetheparticipants'experiencesfromtheirpointofview.
Inordertodothat,itisnecessarytohaveagoodinterviewguidetohelptheparticipantstodiscusstheday-to-dayrealitytheyfindthemselvesin.
12Theresultsareinaformofgroundedtheory,wheredatacollectionandanalysisarecombined.
1310DenzinandLincoln.
2005:ix11HubermanandMiles.
1998:18512Creswell.
1998:51-5413Bryman.
2004:401AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200811InthisprojectIusedqualitativemethodstoseekinsightintohowleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsexperiencetheirrole.
WhatdotheyconsidertheirrolewhenitcomestogettingtheorganizationstofunctionoptimallyAretheyconcernedabouttheirvolunteers'well-beingWhataretheirrelationstothevolunteersQualitativemethodscanbeappliedtogetaninsightintotheirexperiencewhenitcomestoansweringthesequestionsandothers,whicharerelevantfortheresearchproblem.
Byapproachingthesubjectwiththismethod,Iseektounderstandthesubjectbetterbasedonrealexperiencesofleaders,insteadofgeneralizingtheresearchproblem'srelevance.
2.
2.
DatacollectionIinterviewedfourpersons,thatallhadsomedifferentviewsonthesubject.
Inthespiritofqualitativemethods,Ifounditmoreappropriatetogetthoroughdescriptionsoftheirexperiences,insteadofusingquantitativemethodsthatareusedtogetamoreexternalunderstandingofmanyparticipants'experiences.
Quantitativemethodsaremoreappropriatewhentheresearcherisexaminingagroupofpeopleusingsurveysorexperiments,butqualitativemethodsaremorecommonwhenathoroughinvestigationoffewerindividualsisrequired.
TofindtheanswersIneeded,itwasnecessarytotakeenoughtimetointervieweachparticipant,andtoanalyzetheinterviews.
Despitethelownumberofparticipants,Ibelievethattheresultsapplyforotherorganizationsaswell,becauseIbelievethattheresearchproblemisrelevantforallvoluntaryorganizations.
Theinterviewsarethemostimportantstageofthedatacollection,becausetheyareprocurementforknowledge.
Thepersonalrelationshipscreatedbetweentheparticipantsandtheinterviewers,areinvaluable,andcanoftenchangetheinterviewers'visiontotheresearchitself.
14Inthiscase,itwasbestsuitabletousesemi-structuredinterviewstogetthesensitivityandthepersonalconnectionisnecessary.
15Togetthemostaccurateresults,Ifounditimportanttogetasclosetotheparticipants'viewsonthesubjectaspossible.
Itisvitaltogaintheparticipantstrust,sotheywouldbereadytotalkopenlyandsharetheirviewsandopinions.
Theintentionwastocreateagoodatmosphere,inhopeofgettingsomevaluableinformationinreturn.
14Kvale.
1996:12415Punch.
1998:169-171AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200812AlltheinterviewsweretakeninJutland;oneinAarhusandtherestinAalborg.
Thetimelengthwasfromapproximatelyfortyminutesuptoapproximatelyseventyminutes.
Theinterviewswererecordedandthentranscribed,wordforword,inDanishbecausetheyweretakeninDanish.
Afterindexing,ItranslatedthebitsIusedintoEnglish.
Alltheparticipantsareanonymoussoitwaspossibleforthemtosharetheirownopinions,andnottheviewsoftheorganizationstheyworkfor.
2.
3.
IndexingandanalysisInthebook,Writingupqualitativeresearchsaysthatthemainpurposeofqualitativemethodsistoindex,analyze,andinterpretthedatathatarecollected.
Thatinvolvesretrievingusefulinformationfromthedata,andanalyzingthemusingcertainmethods.
Themainpurposewiththisprocedureistofindacommonessenceamongtheinformationandinterpretthatintherightcontext.
16Thepurposewiththeinterviewsinmyresearchwastocollectknowledgeaboutexperiencesandopinionsoftheparticipants,whichIcoulduselaterontofindcertainthemesintheresearchitself.
Intheinterviews,itisimportanttobeattentiveandreadytochangeopinionsthatyoumighthavehadbefore,inharmonytotheresultsoftheinterviews.
17Myaimwasnottogeneralize,andmakeresultsonlybasedonthetheoreticalbackgroundandmypersonalexperiences,buttolistentowhattheparticipantshadtosayandtrytoseethereasonbehindtheiropinions.
Therefore,thegroundedtheoryandtheresultsarebasedontheparticipants'perspectives,althoughtheyareapproachedwithatheoreticalbackground.
HubermanandMilesdescribedsubcategoriesindataanalyzing,intheirarticleDatamanagementandanalysismethods.
Amongthosesubcategoriesarethemethodsdatareductionanddatadisplay.
Thedatareductionwasnecessarysotheresultswouldnotgettoextensive,andthereIusedcodingtofindtherelevantthemesandthecoreofthedata.
Themethodisusedmostlytoanalyzesystematicdetailsandsystematicallyindexthem.
Acertainpartofthedataismarked,andthatcanbeeitherabigorasmallunitwithinthedata.
18Itiscommontousecodingatthefirststageoftheindexing,to16Wolcott.
2001:4417Wolcott.
2001:3318McMillan.
2000:266AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200813drawthedatatogether,andcategorizethethemesfoundinthedata.
Thesecondstageofthecodingisaxialcodingandisusedtoconnectthecategoriestogether.
19Itturnedouttobeusefultofindacommongroundtobuildtheprojecton,andcombineitwiththetheory.
AnexampleofhowIusedcodingwasthatIstartedbyreadingtheinterviewsoverandmarkthemostcommonwords,concepts,andthemes.
ThatwayIcreatedsomeresearchareas,andaxialcodingwasappliedinordertoconnectthemtogetherandcombinethemwiththetheory.
Thedatadisplaymethodwasusedtofindacertainlookandframesfortheresearch,andwasusedtoindextheresultsupsotheywereaccessibleandeasytocompare.
20Inthisproject,thedatadisplaymethodwasappliedinconnectiontoaxialcoding,becauseitwascrucialtofindtherightorderfortheresearchareastobedisplayed,incontextwiththetheoreticalbackground.
Themostaccessibleorderseemedtobeinconnectiontotheprocessofhowtherelationbetweentheleadersandthevolunteersdevelop.
2.
4.
ReliabilityandvalidationTheresultswouldbeuselessiftheywerenotreliableandvalid.
Becauseoftheessenceofqualitativeresearches,itcanbeverydifficulttomeasuretheirvalidity,onthecontrasttoquantitativeresearches.
Itishardertomeasurevalidityoutfromfewinterviewsthanoutofasurveyinwhichmorepeopleparticipated.
Nevertheless,itisimportanttoevaluatethereliabilityoftheresults.
Manyqualitativeresearchershavesuggestedthatdifferentcriteriashouldbeusedforqualitativeresearchmethods,andproposethattermoftrustworthinessisemphasizedandevaluated.
21InthebookSocialresearchmethodsbyAlanBryman,trustworthinessisconsideredtohavefourcriteria:credibility,transferability,dependability,andconfirmability.
22Itisdifficulttoevaluatewhetherthosecriteriaareaccomplished,butbeforetheinterviewsIinvestigatedtheparticipantsandcontactedtheonesIfoundmosttrustworthy.
Alloftheparticipantshavealongexperienceforbeingleadersand19Creswell.
1998:150-15120Creswell.
1998:14121Bryman.
2004:27322Bryman.
2004:273AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200814consultants,andIconsiderthemcrediblebecauseofthat.
Transferabilitycanhaveculturalimpactthataffectstheresults.
Idonotknowwhetherthisresearchproblemwouldhavebeenconsideredrelevantfewdecadesago,butIbelievethatthecontentoftheresearchproblemissomethingallleadershavetobeawareof,andcannotloseitsvalidityinsomeyearsfromnow.
Toevaluatethedependabilityoftheresearch,itisrelevanttoevaluatethedataandthetheoreticalinferences.
TherecouldbeapossibleproblembecauseofthelanguagesinceIamIcelandic,someofthetheoreticalinferencesandtheinterviewswereinDanishandthentranslatedtoEnglish.
Thedependabilityofthisresearchcanneverbesecuredcompletely,butbecauseIdoublecheckedthetheoreticalinferencesandgavetheparticipantsachangetoreadthefinalversionandconfirmtheirreferences,Ibelievethattheresultscanbeconsidereddependable.
Thelastcriterionisconfirmabilityandcanbeevaluatedinrelationtotheresearcher'sobjectivity.
Ibelieveitisimpossibletotakeaninterviewwithouthavinganyideasoropinionsabouttheresults,butthecriterionofconfirmabilitycanstillbefulfillediftheinterviewquestionsareneutralandnotleading.
Ievaluatedtheconfirmabilityoutofmymethodsofaskingquestionsandbeaninterviewer.
Acompleteassurednessconcerningthereliabilityandvalidityoftheresultscanneverbeobtained.
Tosecurethevalidityoftheresultsinbestpossibleway,itisimportanttobeawareofthosecriteriathroughoutthewholeprocess,togetproofreadersthatarefamiliarwiththeresearchfield,andtogivetheparticipantsachancetoconfirmtheirreferences.
Anevaluationofthosecriteriahasassuredmethattheresultsaretrustworthy,andcanbeappliedinothervoluntaryorganizationsaswell.
2.
5.
InterviewguidesandresearchquestionsTheinterviewguideswereusedtoorganizetheinterviewsandfollowthethemesthatwerefoundwiththetheoreticalapproach.
Imadetwointerviewguides,sinceIinterviewedbothconsultantsandleaders(seeattachments1and2).
Ibelievethattheinterviewsshouldbelikenormalconversationsinmanywaysbutdespitethat,therearestillsomerulesthatapply.
ItdemandsorganizationalskillsandtobeabletouseAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200815systematicresearchquestions.
Inmyexperience,itisbesttokeepthequestionsassimpleaspossibleandaccessible,sotheparticipantsknowwhatyouaregoingafter.
23Inthisresearch,Ivaluetheinterviewswiththeleadersmorethantheinterviewswiththeconsultants,sincetheresearchproblemisbasedonleaders'perspectives.
TheinterviewguideswerebasedonthetheoreticalapproachandamongthetopicsIaskedabout,wastheleaders'roleincontrasttothevolunteers,theorganizationalculture,relationsbetweenthevolunteersjobandtheirwell-being,whatcanbedonetoincreasethevolunteers'well-being,thevolunteersmotivation,theworkenvironment,socialintegrationprocessesandtherelationsbetweentheprofessionalsattheorganizationsandthevolunteers.
Ionlyusedtheinterviewguidesasaframeofreference,becauseIwantedtolettheinterviewdevelopnormallyandhearwhattheparticipantshadtosay.
Ifounditimportant,tomakethebestoftheinterviewsandinordertodothat,Igavetheparticipantssomespacetotalkaboutwhattheyweremostlyinterestedin.
Theinterviewsendedupbeingquitedifferent,althoughtheywereallwithinthesameframeofreferences,andImanagedtofollowtheredthread.
2.
6.
EthicsinresearchesMyopinionsonethicsinresearchesarequiteclear.
Theparticipantsshouldneverexperiencephysicalorpsychicdamagebecauseoftheirparticipationintheresearch.
24Theresearchersshoulddoeverythingintheirpowertoprotecttheparticipantsandminimizethenegativeinfluencestheresearchesmighthave.
Inordertodothat,itisnecessarytothinkaboutanonymity.
Therecanbecases,whereitisnotpossibletokeepthefullanonymity,becausetheresearchrequiressomepersonalinformationthatcanleadtorecognitionofthepersonsinvolved.
Inthisproject,Idecidednottogiveupnamesorageoftheparticipants,andItriedtomaketheorganizationstheyworkforasunrecognizableaspossible.
Iwasconcernedthattheparticipantscouldnotkeeptheiranonymitysincetheirjobdescriptionsareuniqueandtheorganizationstheyworkforcouldeasilyberecognizablesincethere23Kvale.
1996:129-13224Bryman.
2004:509AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200816arenootherorganizationsatexactlythesamefield.
Istillfounditimportantfortheresultsthatthereaderhadsomeideaabouttheorganizationalenvironment,soIdescribedtheorganizationsbrieflywithoutgivingupwhatorganizationstheyare(seesection2.
7.
1.
).
2.
7.
ParticipantsInthebeginning,Ihadmanythoughtsabouthowtosampletheparticipants.
First,Iwonderedwhethertochooseoneorganizationandinterviewseveralpeoplewithinthatorganization,ortodoasIdidandfinddifferentorganizationsandinterviewpeopleinsamepositions.
Themotivationforthatwastogetmoreoversight,andtobeabletocomparetheviewsandopinionsofleadersinthesameposition.
Iwantedtoviewtheresearchproblemfromtheleaders'perspectives,soIchosetointerviewtwoleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsandcomparetheiranswers.
Inordertogetbroaderresults,Ialsointerviewedtwoconsultantsbecauseoftheirexperienceswithcounselingleadersofvoluntaryorganizations.
Althoughtheconsultantsworkforavoluntaryorganization,ithasnorelevanceforthisproject.
Iconsiderthefocustobeonthetwovoluntaryorganizationstheleadersworkfor,andthosearetheorganizationsreferredtointheproject.
SinceIamIcelandic,IalsowonderedwhethertohaveIcelandicinterviews,touseEnglish,ortotakethemhereinDenmarkinDanish.
IchoosetotaketheinterviewshereinDenmarkbecauseIseeDenmarkasmyfuturejobmarket,andeventhoughIammoreconfidentinIcelandic(andEnglish),IfounditmoreimportanttogetfamiliarwiththeDanishscenario.
Theessenceofqualitativemethodsistokeepmorefocusonfewerparticipantsandtheirexperiences.
Theconsequencecouldbethattheresultswouldnothaverelevanceatthelargerscale.
Tominimizetheriskofthat,Ifounditimportanttofindtherightparticipantsandbeselectivefindingthem.
Arandomsamplewasthereforenotsuitable.
Ifoundpurposivesamplingappropriate,becausethentheresearcherfindsparticipantswhoarebestsuitablefortheresearchproblem.
25Thatway,Icouldbevery25Bryman.
2004:333-334AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200817selectivefindingtherightparticipantsandselectparticipantsthatIexpectedtohavespecificknowledgeandtheexperiencethattheresearchrequired.
Soalthoughtheinterviewswerenotthatmany,theywerequitethoroughandofagreatrelevancefortheresults.
TheinterviewprocessoccurredfromApriltoMay2008.
Alltheinterviewstookplaceattheparticipants'workplaces,whichalsogavemeaninsightintotheirworkenvironment.
2.
7.
1.
IntroductionoftheparticipantsHereisabriefintroductionoftheparticipants:LeaderAThisparticipantisaleaderforoneofthelargestvoluntaryorganizationinDenmark.
Theorganizationhasbothprofessionalworkforceandvolunteers.
Itwasfoundedinthe1950's,andtheleaderisleadingtheirdepartmentinJutland,andhasbeenworkingthereforseveralyears.
Theorganizationisfinanciallyindependent,meaningthatitisnotdependingonfinancialaidfromthestate.
ItiscooperatingwithmanyotherorganizationsandworksbothhereinDenmarkandthroughouttheworld,mainlytohelprefugeestogetasylumandintegrate.
LeaderBThesecondleaderisleadingasmallerorganizationthanleaderA.
Theorganizationhasbeenactiveforalmosttwentyyears.
Itisalsofinanciallyindependent,itoffershelptoeveryonethatneedhelpandsupportduringtheeveningsandthenighttime.
Itispossibletobothcallandshowop,andgetanonymousconversationeitherwithaprofessionalworkerorwithavolunteer.
Whentheinterviewwastaken,therewerearoundsixtyvolunteersemployedattheorganization,butitisverydifferentfromtimetotime.
Theleaderhasworkedtheresince1996,andhasbeeninaleaderpositionforthelastyears.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200818ConsultantAThisparticipantisafemaleconsultant,workingforanorganizationthatsupportsanddevelopsvoluntaryworkinAalborgcommune.
Sheistheyoungestparticipantbuthasexperiencefromthisworkfield.
Herjobistohelporganizationsintheirrelationstovolunteers,participatinginprojectsandlocalnetworks.
ConsultantBConsultantBismaleandemployedinthesamepositionandatthesameorganizationasconsultantA.
Heismiddleageandhasaveryextensiveexperiencefromworkingwithvolunteersandorganizationsthatrecruitvolunteersandbasetheirworkonvoluntaryworkforce.
2.
8.
SummaryInthischapter,Ihavedebatedtheprocedureoftheresearchandthemethodologicalapproachtoit.
Theapproachisbasedonqualitativeresearchmethods,whicharequitecommoninsocialsciences.
Qualitativeresearchmethodsarebasedonthoroughinterviewswhereitisimportanttocreategoodrelationshipsbetweentheresearchersandtheparticipants.
Afterintroducingtheessenceoftheresearchmethod,thefocuswasonthedatacollectionandthemethodsIusedtoindexandanalyzethedata.
Intheresearch,IusedpurposivesamplingtofindthefourparticipantsIneededandbyusingthattypeofsampling,Icouldbeveryselectivefindingtherightparticipants.
Basedonthetheoreticalapproach,Ihadpreparedinterviewguidestohelpmefollowtheredthread.
Thechapteralsocontainedsomereflectionsaboutethicsandtheprocedure.
Finally,therewasadiscussionaboutaccesstotheparticipantsandabriefdescriptionofthem.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008193.
TheoreticalapproachInthischapter,Iwillintroducethetheoreticalbasefortheproject.
IhavechosenfewtheoreticalperspectivesthatIfindnecessarytodebateandtakeinconsiderationbeforetheanalyzingprocessstarts.
ItisalsoimportanttoclarifyanddefinesomeconceptsthatIintendtouselateron.
Sincetheresearchproblemisquiteextensive,Idecidedtousedifferenttypesoftheories.
Thethemesofeverysectioninthischapterarebasedonthosetheories,andallofthemhaverelevancetotheresearchproblem,althoughtheymightnotbedirectlyrelevanttoeachother.
OneoftheperspectivesIamgoingtouse,comesfromtheorganizationalculturetheories(seesection3.
1),andwithinthosetheoriesIhavemainlychosenSchein'sideasandtheories,sincetheyareverywellknownandcanbeusedinvoluntaryorganizationsaswellastheregularones.
Insection3.
2.
,thereisabriefdiscussionabouttheworkrelationsinvoluntaryorganizations.
TherelationscanbemorecomplicatedinvoluntaryorganizationsandthereforeIfinditcrucialtodefinethemandclarifythedifference.
Insection3.
3.
,thereisanintroductiontoMaslow'shierarchyofbasicneeds.
Inordertoexaminethevolunteers'well-being,itisrelevanttokeepinmindwhatthebasicneedsare,howtheyarefulfilled,andwhethertheyarepartofthevolunteers'motivationtodovoluntarywork.
Section3.
4.
isaboutthecoachingandmentoringrelationships.
Itisnecessarytodefinetheconceptofcoachingandmentoring,andinvestigatewhethertheyhaverelevanceforvoluntaryorganizations.
Section3.
5.
isabouttheorganizationalenvironmentanddescribesthefactors,bothwithinandoutsidetheorganization,thatplaypartsincreatingaworkclimatethatcanbeeithergoodorbad.
Insection3.
6.
,Idiscussthemotivationtodovoluntarywork,bothconsciousandunconscious,becauseIbelievethatitisnecessarytohaveaninsightintowhatdrivespeopletodovoluntarywork.
Insection3.
7.
,theresultsfordoingvoluntaryworkaredebated,andhowtheycanresultinabetterwell-being,whichisquiterelatedtotheresearchproblem.
Afterwards,thereisabriefdiscussionofthetheoreticalproblems,andintheendthecontentofthischapterissummedup.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008203.
1.
OrganizationalcultureOrganizationalculturetheoriestrytoexplainhoworganizationsworkandhowindividualsandgroupsthinkwithinorganizations.
26Itisafactthatoneofthemostimportantneedsofthehumanbeingistohaveafeelingofbelongingtoagroupandbeabletoidentifywithagroup.
Organizationalculturetheoriescanbeusedtocreatesocialunificationandfulfillthoseneedsthatcouldleadtoasenseofwell-being.
27Tobeabletounderstandorganizationalculture,itisvitaltounderstandtheconceptofculture.
GarethMorganisoneofthemanywhohavetriedtodefineculture.
InhisbookImagesoforganizationhedefinedcultureasacertainpatternofdevelopmentthatwasreflectedinthesocietyandcanbeseeninthesociety'sknowledge,ideology,values,laws,andday-to-dayrituals.
28IagreewithMorgan,butIfindhisdefinitiontooexternalformyproject.
AnotherpersonwhohasdefinedcultureisEdgarSchein.
Heisoneofthebest-knownresearcherswithinorganizationalculturetheoriesandIfindhisdefinitionofculturemoresuitablesinceitismoreinthespiritoforganizationalculturetheories.
Inhisbook,Organizationalcultureandleadership,hedefinedcultureas:"Cultureistheresultofacomplexgrouplearningprocessthatisonlypartiallyinfluencedbyleaderbehavior.
Butifthegroup'ssurvivalisthreatenedbecauseofelementsofitsculturehavebecomemaladapted,itisultimatelythefunctionofleadershipatalllevelsoftheorganizationtorecognizeanddosomethingaboutthissituation.
Itisinthissensethatleadershipandcultureareconceptuallyintertwined.
"29WhatScheinthinksaboutculture,canalsoapplyfororganizationalcultureandthereforeIfindhisdefinitionmoresuitableformyproject.
Scheinaddsthatcultureofagroupcanbedefinedasapatternofsharedbasicassumptions,adaptedtoeachgroupinordertodealwithproblemsofexternaladoptionandinternalintegrationwithinorganizations.
Ifthoseproceduresweresuccessful,theywerebroughtontonewmembersofthegroup.
Usually,newmembersofagroupseektolearnaboutthegroups'operatingnormsandassumptions.
Scheindoesnotdenythatthegroupcansurvivewithouthavingsharedassumptionsbutonceitexists,thenthesocializationprocessstartsbytransferringthosesharedassumptionstothenew26JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:1127JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:12928Morgan.
1986:11229Schein.
2004:11AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200821members.
30Icanimaginethatthosemethodscanbeeitherpositiveornegative,soinorderfortheorganizationtosurvive,itisimportanttocreateagoodorganizationalculturethatworksforthepeopleattachedtotheorganization.
Butonethingistodefineculture,anotherthingistodefineorganizationalculture.
KirstenMichaelsen,consultantatCenterforvoluntarywork(Danish:Centerforfrivilligtsocialtarbejde)inOdense,considersagoodorganizationalculturetobeaculture,wheretheorganizations'goalsarelegible,andwheretheorganizations'valuesareobviousinthework.
31Scheinpartlydefinedorganizationalculturelikethat,buthisdefinitionhasmoredimensions.
AccordingtoSchein,organizationalcultureistothinkindynamicevolutionarytermsandtherearefourcriticalelementsthathavetobefulfilled.
Structuralstabilityisimpliedwithinsomelevelsofculturesincetheculturalfeaturesarenotonlyshared,butalsostable,becauseitdefinesthegroup.
Depth,sincecultureisthedeepestpartofagroupandthereforelessvisiblethanotherparts.
Breadth,sinceitcoversallofgroupfunctioningthatcanbeofaverydifferentkindandpatterning/integrationsinceitselementsaretiedtogetherinthedefinitionofculture,andcultureformationisalwaysstrivingtowardspatterningandintegration.
32Ibelievethatallthoseelementsarevitalfororganizationalculture,butIthinkthatsometimestheyarefulfilledunconsciously.
Thatcouldbeaproblemwhenitcomestocollectdatawithatheoreticalperspective.
Ithinkthattheconceptofcultureisverywideandcanbeusedinmanycontextsthatdonotnecessarilyrelatetoeachother.
Therefore,therearesomedifferentdefinitionsoftheconceptandinthissection,IhavechosentodebatetheonesIfindbestsuitableformyproject.
Whenculturetheoriesareapplied,itisimportanttorealizethatthecasescanbeverydifferentandshouldbeanalyzedintheirownterms.
IbelievethatSchein'sideasaboutorganizationalculturecanprovidethebestgroundfortheresearch,becausetheyarewellknowninresearchesatthisfieldandhaveoftenbeenusedtoexamineorganizationalculture.
BasedonSchein'sideas,Ibelievethattheorganizationalcultureismostlikelytosurviveifthenewmembersofthegrouparewillingtoadapttothepatternsandevenhelpimprovingtheformermethodssotheyworkinabetterway.
ThatI30Schein.
2004:17-1931Michaelsen.
2004:4432Schein.
2004:14-17AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200822intendtoinvestigateespeciallyinconnectiontorecruitmentandthevolunteers'impactstotheorganization(seesection4.
3.
,4.
5.
and4.
6.
).
3.
2.
WorkrelationsinvoluntaryorganizationsIhavechosentodebatetherelationsbetweentheorganizationsanditsworkers,especiallythevolunteers,becausetherelationscanbeverydifferentinvoluntaryorganizationsthantheyareinnormalorganizations.
Normally,therelationsbetweentheorganizationsanditsworkerswouldbedefinedashierarchicrelationsbetweentheindividualsandtheorganizations.
Theemployeeshaveacontractwheretheyselltheirworkforcetotheorganizationsanddotheassignmentsthattheywerehiredtodo.
33Intherecruitmentprocess,itisnecessarytolookatqualificationsandhoweachpersonfitstotheorganizations.
Itwillinfluencewhatkindoforganizationalculturewillevolveinthefuture.
34Incontrasttopaidprofessionalworkers,thevolunteersusuallyhaveonlytheorganizations'perspectiveontheworkwithintheorganizations.
Theydon'thavetodealwiththeconflictsbetweenprofessionalismandtheorganizations'goalsandvalues,buthavearesponsibilitytolettheorganizations'valuesbethedrivefortheirworkandtheirjobisto"translate"theorganizations'valuestotheworldoutsidetheorganizations.
Therefore,itisextremelyimportantforleaderstocreategoodworkframesforthevolunteers,basedongoodethics.
35TineMurphywrotethearticleMedlemsdemokrativersushandlingsdemokrati,andinheropinion,thevolunteersneedtobeabletoadapttotheorganizationsintheworkprocesssotheorganizationscanfunctionoptimally.
Thatmightrequireaworkstructure,wherethevolunteerscantakebreaksfromtheworkoccasionally,andstillfeelliketheyhavecontributedwithsomething.
Theyshouldhavethepossibilitytochangetheirrelationstotheorganizations,withoutcausingadisagreement.
Itisjustasimportantforthevolunteerstogetachancetodevelopandgrow,andgetnewassignmentswhenneeded.
36IagreewithMurphy,andIbelievethatitisessentialforeveryvolunteertofindanorganizationthatfitstheirideologyandmotives,becauseusuallythevolunteershave33Bager,ObelandSgaard.
2001:1234JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:14135Michaelsen.
2004:4436Murphy.
2004:29AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200823toadapttotheorganizationsbutnottheotherwayaround.
Inorderforthevolunteerstofitin,itiscrucialthattheygetachancetogettoknowtheorganizationsandtheworkenvironmentandtheymightneedsometimeandhelpfromtheorganizationsbehalftodoso.
Ibelievethatthevolunteershavetoadapttotheorganizations,butsincevoluntaryworkforceisusuallyabigpartofvoluntaryorganizations,theorganizationsoftenhavetogrowwiththevolunteers,inthewaythatthemajorityofthevolunteerscaninfluencetheorganizationsandbeapartofmakingchangesonformerpolicies,valuesandgoals.
CarolBarbeitoisaPh.
D.
andapresidentofCLB&Associates,whoprovideserviceinbroadrangeofmanagementandleadershiptopics.
Shefindsitimportantthatthereareformaljobdescriptionsforeverytypeofvoluntaryworkwithintheorganizations.
Shethinksthatsuchajobdescriptioncouldpreventmisunderstandingsanditisausefultooltohelptheorganizationstohiretherightvolunteers.
37IagreewithBarbeito,andbelievethatfindingtherightvolunteerscanbetrickyfortheleaders,butitcanbehelpfultospendtimeandresourcesintherecruitmentprocesstoavoidproblemslateron.
Intheanalysis,Iintendtousethistheoreticalapproachtofindoutwhattheleaders'roleiswhenitcomestorecruitnewvolunteers,andwhattheparticipantsthinkaboutthevolunteers'impacttotheorganizations,andwhatdegreeofinfluencesfromthevolunteerstheyconsideroptimalfortheorganizations(seesection4.
3.
and4.
5.
).
3.
3.
Maslow'shierarchyofbasicneedsMaslow'stheoryisthatthereareatleastfivesetsofgoalscalledneedsandtheyarephysiological,safety,love,esteem,andself-actualization.
Outfromthoseneedshemadethehierarchyofbasicneeds,wherethebasicneedsarearrangedinahierarchyofprepotency,wheresomeoftheneedsaremoreimportantthanothers.
Researchhasshownhowthehierarchyfunctionsinrelationstoorganizationsandtheresultshavebeenthatifthesebasicneedsarefulfilled,themanagementwillseestoresofhiddenenergyandproductivecooperation.
38Maslowiswellknownforthishierarchyandbecauseofitspopularity;itisnaturalthatsomecriticismhasoccurred.
Thehierarchyhasbeen37Barbeito.
2004:14338Maslow.
2000:3-4AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200824criticizedforthecategoriesbeingimpreciselyformulatedthatresultinconfusionaboutthecontent.
Theconfusionisoftenabouttheorderoftheneeds,andhowtheyshouldbefulfilled.
However,thecriticismmightnotbeapplicablebecauseitwasneverMaslow'sintentionthattheneedshadtobefulfilledinanyspecificorderorthatoneoftheneedhadtobefulfilledbeforethenextonecouldtakeover.
Maslowmadeitclear,thatthesameperson'sneeds,couldbefulfilledandatthesametimeunfulfilledandthedegreeofcompletenesswouldchangewhilemovingupinthehierarchy.
39IintendtouseMaslow'shierarchytoshowtheimportanceofthosebasicneedsbeingfulfilledandwhethervoluntaryworkcancontributetofulfillsomeofthoseneeds.
ThatIwillprimarilyinvestigatefurtherinrelationstovolunteers'motivation(seesection4.
2.
).
Inrelationstotheresearchproblem,Iconsideritcrucialtobeawareofthebasicneedsofhumanbeingsinordertoexaminepeople'swell-being.
IbelievethatMaslowisrightaboutthesebeingthebasicneeds,aslongasitistakeninconsiderationthattheneedsdonotweighthesameandtheydonothavetobefulfilledinanyparticularorderorbefulfilledatthesametime.
3.
4.
Coaching,mentoringandtrainingprogramsIntheliteraturethatIusedinthisproject,theconceptsofcoachingandmentoringareoftenconfused.
TodefinethedifferenceIusedParsloeandWray'sideasaboutcoaching,andRaymondNoe'sdefinitionofmentoring.
InNoe'sopinion,amentoringrelationshipispresentwhenapersonwhohasexperienceandproductiveness,educatesortrainsanotherperson.
Ithasbecomeverypopularamongorganizationstousementoring39JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:237-238Picture1:AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200825relationshipsforsocializationprocessesandtrainingprograms.
40ParsloeandWrayconsideredcoachingtobeadynamicworkplaceactivityandconstantlyexpanding.
41Coachingismorecommontotrainoreducateagroupofpeople.
Incoachingandmentoringotheremployees,trainabilityoftheemployeescouldhaveaverysignificantrole.
Theenvironmentcreatedbytheorganizationscaninfluencethetrainability.
Importantfactorscouldbetheclimateconcerningchangesandthesocialfactorscreatedbysupervisorsandcoworkersoftheworksettingsthatprovidesreinforcementandfeedback.
42Ibelievethattrainabilityhasaverysignificantandcentralpartincoachingprocesses,andthereforeitisimportantthatthenewemployeesaretrainable.
Agoodtrainingprogramresultsinpositivetraineereaction,learning,behaviorchange,andimprovementsinjob-relatedoutcomes,whichwouldhavegoodeffectsontheorganizations.
43Thementor's,orthecoach'sintention,wouldmostoftenbetoleavethepersonthatisbeingcoachedmorecompetentinthefield.
44Theuseofbehaviormodelingtrainingprogramshasincreasedandmanyorganizationshavebeguntousementoringrelationshipsasapartoftheirrecruitmentstrategywithgoodresults.
45Therearemanydifferentmodelstouse,andorganizationsshouldfindamodelthatfitstheirworkplace,andthattheyfindcomfortable.
Trainingprogramsareabigpartinthecoachingandmentoringprocesses,andtheyareoneofthefirstthingsthataffectnewvolunteers.
Insection4.
3.
3.
,Iwillexaminehowitistostartasavolunteerinthevoluntaryorganizationsandwhethertheorganizationsprovideatrainingprogramofanykind.
3.
5.
OrganizationalenvironmentOrganizationalenvironmentisaconceptusedtodescribethethemesorimperativesthatemployeesusewhentheydescribetheirorganizations.
Theconsistenciesofthesethemesarebasedonthepractices,proceduresandrewardedbehaviorsthatare40Noe.
1991a:475-47641ParsloeandWray.
2000:4142Noe.
1991b:51043Noe.
1991b:50944Flaherty.
2005:245Noe.
1991a:475AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200826happeningtotheemployeesandintheirenvironment.
46RudolfH.
MoosandAndrewG.
BillingswrotethebookUnderstandingandimprovingworkclimates:"Workenvironment,alsolabeledworkclimate,referstothesocial-psychologicalcharacteristicsofaworksetting.
Theworkenvironmentincludestheattitudesofemployeestowardtheworktasksandtheircommunicationwitheachotherandwiththeirsupervisors.
Eachworksettingsdevelopsa"style"oraworkclimate,whichinfluenceshowdecisionsaremadeanddefinestypicalpatternsofinteractionsatwork.
"47Accordingtothis,theworkershavemosttosayabouttheirworkenvironment.
Theleaderscanmakeanefforttocreateagoodworkenvironment,butintheend,theworkershavemostinfluence.
Ibelievethatagoodworkenvironmentisoneofthekeyelementswhenitcomestothevolunteers'well-being.
Everyindividualhastoadjusttoseveralenvironments.
AccordingtotheMinnesotatheory,theotherenvironmentsineveryemployee'slivealreadyinfluencetheworkenvironment.
Thetheoryalsoacknowledgestheinfluenceoftheworkenvironmenttotheotherenvironmentsineveryindividual'slives.
Thetheoryisbasedontheideathattheworkenvironmentiscreatedbythepeopleworkingthereandisthereforeundertheirinfluence.
48Forthatreasonistheindividuals'well-beingattheworkplace,likeotherplaces,extremelyimportant,sinceitinfluencesthecreationoftheworkenvironment.
AccordingtoMoosandBillings,relationshipdimensions,personalgrowthdimensions,systemmaintenanceandchangeofdimensions,arethekeyelementsofworkclimate.
Relationshipdimensionsrefertotherelationsbetweenemployeesandbetweenthemanager/leadertotheemployees.
Personalgrowthdimensionsrefertotheworkenvironments'influenceonpersonalgrowthoftheemployees.
Systemmaintenanceandchangeofdimensionsrefertothestructureoftheworkplaceandopennesstomakechanges.
49Asaresult,itseemslikethevolunteers'well-beingingeneral,notjustattheworkplace,andtherelationswithintheworkplace,hasabiginfluenceontheworkclimatewithintheorganization.
46SchneiderandGunnarson.
1991:54247MoosandBillings.
1991:55248Dawis.
1991:53549MoosandBillings.
1991:553AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200827Ibelievethatisimportant,bothfortheorganizationsandpeopleinterestedinvoluntarywork,tounderstandtheworkclimateandtherebytheconditionstheyhavetoworkunder.
Ithinkthattheworkenvironmentisofgreatimportanceinvoluntaryorganizationsandthereforeitisessentialforleaderstoworkoncreatingagoodworkclimate,inordertoincreasethevolunteers'well-being,sothevolunteerswillfindthemselvesinagoodworkenvironment.
Isection4.
6.
Iwillanalyzewhetherleadersshouldmakeanefforttocreateagoodworkenvironmentandwhethertheythinkitisimportant.
3.
5.
1.
ImportanceoftrustSomeresearchersbelievethatiftheorganizationappliesadministrativecontrolthenitsignalsthatthemanagementdoesnottrusttheemployeesenoughandthatthetrustisnecessarytobuildupagoodcoreideology.
50FranTonkissandAndrewPasseyexaminedthestatusfordevelopmentofthevoluntarysectorinBritaintheyear1999.
Theirresultswerethatwithinvoluntarywork,threekeyfeatureswerepertinentinthetheoreticalperspectivesontrust.
Theyfoundoutthattrustrelationsarerequiredinvoluntarismandagency,sincevoluntarismisthebaseofvoluntaryorganizations.
Sharedvalueslinktotheconceptoftrust,andtrustrelationsseparatethemselvesfromtheconfidence-basedworkstructures.
51Itseemsthattrusthasaverysignificantroleinworkers'well-beingattheworkplace,andshouldnotbeunderestimated.
Intheanalysis,Iintendtofindoutwhethertrustrelationsplaythatsignificantrole,TonkissandPasseytalkabout(seesection4.
6.
2.
).
3.
6.
MotivationandidentityAllvolunteershavesomekindofmotiveforvolunteering.
Ingeneral,themotivesdivideintofourcategories:Political,intellectual,socialandemotional.
52Inthebook,Spiritualityandsocialcare,MaryNashandBruceStewartwroteaboutspiritualitybeingtheemotionalmotivatorformanyvolunteers.
Theyalsowroteabouttheimportance,50Zucker.
1986;JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:150-15151TonkissandPassey.
1999:27252DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:10AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200828whenmanagingvolunteers,tobeawareofandunderstandthevolunteers'motivationfordoingthejob.
53Mostvolunteersmightgettheirmotivationbecausetheywanttoworkforajointgoalandfeelapartofagroup.
54Ibelievethatacreationofidentitiescouldalsobeafactorusedtomotivatepeopletodovoluntarywork.
UllaHabermannwrotethearticleEnnordiskfrivillighed.
Shethinksthatvoluntaryworkcouldhelpeachandeveryonetocreateanidentityandself-actualizationwherethepersonfeelsactive,useful,andacknowledged.
55MaryMorriswrotethebookVoluntaryworkinthewelfarestate,whereshediscussedthemotivesvolunteersmighthavetodovoluntarywork.
Shethinksthatthemainmotivescanbethreefold.
Somevolunteersdovoluntaryworkbecausetheyhaveagenuinedesiretohelpandincreasehappinessforothers,somevolunteersdoitbecausetheyhaveanurgetofurtheracertaincause,andsomevolunteersdoitbecausetheywanttosatisfytheirownpersonalneedstodoactivitiesoutsidetheirhome.
56Inmyopinion,thatfitswiththefourmaincategories,sincethosemotivesareeitherpolitical,intellectual,social,oremotional.
Ibelievethatthemotivescanbecategorizedinmanydifferentways,butthecontentisstillquitesimilar,atleastonthesurface.
Therefore,Iagreethatthemainmotivescouldusuallybecategorizedaspolitical,intellectual,social,oremotional.
Thesemotivesarelikelytobeconsciouschoicesmadebythevolunteers,butIdothinkthatthevolunteerscanhaveunconsciousmotivesaswell.
AccordingtoJabobsenandThorvik,socializationoccurswhenpeoplelearnhowtobehavesotheyareacceptedandacknowledgedasmembersofgroupsororganizations.
Thatprogressdevelopsthroughanobservationofhowothermembersofthegroupsbehaveandemphasizewhattheythinkisimportant.
Throughthisprocess,itispossibletocreatesocialidentities,andthatisveryimportantforthedevelopmentofagoodculturewithinorganizations.
57Ibelievethatisbecauseifthevolunteersareabletocreategoodsocialidentities,theycontributeinapositivewaytotheorganizationalenvironments.
Acknowledgementisalsoimportant,andinthatcontextIfinditrelevanttointroduceAxelHonneth'stheoryaboutthestruggleforrecognition.
InthearticleGroundingrecognition,heinsiststhatthestruggleforrecognitionmustberegardedaspermanent53NashandStewart.
2002:97-9954Brixen.
2004b:7055Habermann.
2001:9656Morris.
1998:19457JacobsenandThorvik.
2002:137AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200829featuresofthesociallifeoftheindividualsbutnotatemporaryphenomena.
58Honnethhasalsodefinedthreepatternsofinter-subjectiverecognitionandhecallsthemlove,rightsandsolidarity.
Thereheadoptsanumberofpsychoanalyticmotivesandtechniquesinordertounderstandtheinter-subjectiverelationsthatresultinpatternsofself-development.
Thepurposeofthetheoryistoshowtheimportanceoftheindividualsbeingacknowledgedinallthoseareasoftheirlives.
Iffulfillingthosecriteria,itwilleventuallyresultinwell-being.
59Accordingtothis,Idrawtheconclusion,thatitisimportantfortheindividualstobehaveaftertheappropriatenormsandvalues,andbeingrecognizedintheworkprocesses.
ThevoluntaryworkmightnotfulfillallofthethreetypesofrecognitionHonnethdebates,butthevolunteersmightseekrecognitionandacknowledgementatsomeareasinthevoluntarywork.
Iassumethatitcouldbeoneofthemotivesfordoingthevoluntarywork,eventhoughthevolunteersthemselvesmightnotbeawareofit.
Accordingtothis,themotivescanbeeitherconsciousorunconscious.
Theconsciousmotivesareusuallypolitical,intellectual,social,oremotionalandtheunconsciousmotivescanbetoseekacceptation,acknowledgement,andrecognition.
Insection4.
2.
,Iintendtoanalyzethosemotivesfromtheparticipants'perspectives.
3.
7.
Well-beingbeingtheresultInthehistory,itiseasytofindmessagesaboutthehumanbeingsneedingtobeconcernedaboutthewell-beingofothers.
60InaresearchmadebyAnnaNieboerandSiegwartLindenberg,theresultswerethatvoluntaryworkimprovedpeople'swell-being.
Theymadeascaletotestwell-beingandfoundoutthatthewell-beingofbothemployedandunemployedpeople,whodidvoluntarywork,washigherthanwithemployedandunemployedpeoplewhodidnotdoanyvoluntarywork.
61InthebookThesocialpsychologyofprosocialbehavior,numbersofresearchmadeontheconnectionbetweenvolunteeringandwell-beingwerementioned.
Amongotherresults,volunteeringwasconsideredmostlikelytoleadtoabetterphysicaland58Honneth.
2002:50259Honneth.
1996:92-13060Dovidio,Piliavin,SchroederandPenner.
2006:8-961NieboerandLindenberg.
2002:184AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200830mentalhealthamongisolatedpeople.
Inaddition,widowsstarteddoingmorevoluntaryworkaftertheirwidowhoodsinceitwasconsideredtopreventdepression.
Inanotherresearch,theresultswerethatvolunteeringhelpedlessintegratedpeopletobenefitpsychologically.
62SimilarresultswererevealedintheessayFeelinggoodaboutdoinggood,afterJanePiliavin.
Thoseresultswerethatvolunteeringbenefitedtheself-esteem,personalhappiness,lifesatisfaction,well-being,andminimizedtheriskofdepression.
63Therefore,therearemanypositiveaffectsofdoingvoluntaryworkandoneofthemseemstobethatitincreasesone'ssenseofwell-being.
Inthebook,Thesocialpsychologyofprosocialbehavior,differentaspectsoftheconcepthelpingaredescribed.
Thedefinitionofhelpingisoftenthathelpingincreasesthewell-beingofthepersonreceivingthehelp.
However,thereisalsosomethingcalledegoistichelp.
Thatmeansthatwhenonehelpssomeone,itmakesonefeelbetter.
Therefore,thewell-beingofthehelperhasalsoincreased.
64Sotheoretically,Ibelievethatvoluntaryworkcouldbeawin-winsituationforallpartners.
ButIwillinvestigatethatfurtherinsection4.
8.
.
3.
8.
TheoreticalproblemsIdiscoveredsometheoreticalproblemswhenmakingthischapter.
Furthermore,Idonotseemtobetheonlyonecomingacrosswiththoseproblems.
KurtKlausenhasstruggledwithsomeofthesameproblemsandhedescribedtheminhisarticleOmteoretiskeproblemervedstudietaffrivilligeorganisationer,basedononeofhislectures.
Klausenpointedoutthatthetheorieswithinthestudyoforganizationsandpolitics,areofteninapplicableforvoluntaryorganizations,andcouldgiveafalseresult,ifapplied.
65Themainreasonforthatisthatvoluntaryorganizationsaremoreoftenthanotherorganizations,controlledbytraditions,coincidences,andcircumstances.
66IagreewithKlausen,andlikehim,Ialsostruggledwiththefactthatitwasalmostimpossibletouseasingletheoreticalapproachtotheproject.
Thatproblemoccursbecausethereisvery62Dovidio,Piliavin,SchroederandPenner.
2006:25163Piliavin.
2005:3264Dovidio,Piliavin,SchroederandPenner.
2006:22-2665Klausen.
1991:1366Klausen.
1991:23AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200831limitedmaterialaboutvoluntaryorganizationsonly,andthegeneralorganizationaltheoriesarenotalwaysapplicablebecausevoluntaryorganizationsaresodifferentfromotherorganizations.
Thatiswhyitbecamevitaltoapproachtheprojectwithdifferenttheoriesanduserelevantmaterial,eventhoughitcamefromdifferentdirections.
67EventhoughKlausen'sbookisbasedonalecturefromtheyear1991,Ihavetoadmitthatthoseproblemsarestillthere,althoughtheremightbeslightlymorematerialnow,thantherewasbackthen.
3.
9.
SummaryTheintentionwiththischapterwastointroducesomeofthemostrelevanttheories,concepts,anddefinitions,tobasetheanalysison.
Idecidedtousesometheorieswithinorganizationalculturetheories,andthereImainlyfocusedonSchein.
Hethinksthatgroupcultureshouldbedefinedasapatternofsharedbasicassumptionsandthesocializationprocessissothoseassumptionscanbetransferred.
Ihavealsofoundoutthattherelationsbetweentheworkersinvoluntaryorganizationscanbeverydifferentcomparedtootherorganizations.
Somespecialistshavearguedfortheimportanceofthevolunteers'relationstodemocracyattheworkplaces,andIagree,althoughIbelievethatthevolunteershavetoadapttotheorganizations'values.
IhavealsointroducedMaslow'shierarchyofbasicneedswhereIhopetobeabletousethehierarchytoshowhowvitalitistogetthosebasicneedsfulfilled.
Theoriesaboutcoachingandmentoringwerealsodebated,andthetrainabilityoftheemployeesturnedouttobeveryimportant.
Itisalsoimportantforthevolunteerstoknowtheirplacewithintheorganizations,andthattheleadersprovidethemwithgoodinformationabouttheworkplace.
Thevolunteers'senseofwell-beingseemstobeofagreatimportancefortheworkenvironment,andthereforeitseemsrelevantfortheleadertobeconcernedabouttheirwell-being.
Peoplecanhavedifferentmotivesfordoingvoluntarywork,andIbelievethatthosemotivescanbebothconsciousandunconscious,butusuallytheyresultinincreasedwell-beingofthepeople.
67Klausen.
1991:2AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008324.
DataanalysisInthischapter,Iwillrevealtheworkframesandanalyzethemostimportantthemesfromtheresearch.
AsIwroteinthesecondchapter,theworkframesorthethemes,aredividedintothesectionsofthischapter,andwereorganizedwiththedatadisplaymethod.
First,Iwilldebatetheleaders'role,andthereafterIwilllookatvolunteers'motivation,andrecruitmentofvoluntaryworkforce.
ThenIwilldiscusstherelationsbetweenprofessionalworkersandvolunteers,andthevolunteers'impacttotheorganizationsfromtheparticipants'perspectives.
Section4.
6.
isabouthowtheleaderscancreateanidealworkenvironmentforthevolunteers'well-being,andthereafterIwilldealwiththeproblemstheleadershave,whenthereisalackofvoluntaryworkforce.
Insection4.
8.
,Iwilldebatetherelationsforwell-beingandvoluntarism,andfinallywhattheleaderscandotoincreasethevolunteers'well-being,usingbothsystematicmethodsandmoreindividualizedmethods.
Inthelastsection,thereisasummaryofthemainresultsfromthischapter.
4.
1.
Theleaders'functionsThissectionisdedicatedtotheleaders'role.
Sincethereissomeconfusionaboutthedefinitionsofleadersandmanagers,Iwillstartbyclarifyingthatdifferencetoavoidmisunderstandings.
Afterthat,Iwillanalyzetheleaders'roleinrelationtothevolunteersandinalargerperspective,accordingtotheresultsfrommyresearch.
4.
1.
1.
LeaderversusmanagerItisnecessarytopointoutthatthereisaconceptualdifferencebetweenbeingamanageroraleader,andthereisatendencyofneitherseeingthatdifferencenorbeingawareofit.
Themanagers'jobistobeconcernedaboutdesigningasystemthatworksandshowsrightefficiency.
LeadersaremorefocusedondoingtherightthingsbutnotdoAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200833thingsintherightway.
68AdrianFurnhamhasresearchedthepsychologicalaspectsofthisdifferenceandinhisbookThepsychologyofbehavioratworkhewrote:"Theessentialdifferencebetweenleadersandmanagersisthatwhilemanagersperformarational,analytic,intellectualfunction,leadersinspirebyvision,values,confidenceanddetermination.
"69Leadershipinvolveshavinginfluenceinthecompanies'processesandleadershavetopayattentiontothegroupofemployeesandtheirenvironment.
Theirpositionisoftenconfusedwithmanagers.
Thatisbecauseleadershipisoftengivenaverybroadmeaninganditiscommonthatitgoesintothemanagers'field,whichinvolvesplanning,organizing,monitoringandcontrolling.
70Intheliteratureusedforthisthesis,thereismostreferencetoleadersbutsometimestheyarereferredtoasmanagers.
Thisdifferenceisnotthatrelevanttotheresearchproblemorthecontextofthisproject,sowhenreferredtomanagersintheliteratureithasnoinfluencestotheresults.
4.
1.
2.
InrelationtovolunteersInthebookSpiritualityandsocialcare,MaryNashandBruceStewartwroteaboutthemanager'sroleinrelationtothevolunteers:Agoodmanagerwilltaketheirvolunteersseriouslybyensuringthatallthetasksofmanagingthemarecarriedout.
Theywillhaveclearjobdescriptions,orientationprocesses,training,andsupervision.
Theywillencouragecommunicationandtakethetroubletoensurethatbothpaidstaffandvolunteersareawareofwheretheyinterfaceandcomplementeachother'swork.
Therewillbefundsavailabletoreimburseexpensesincurredinbeingavolunteer.
Theywillacknowledgethecontributionmadebythevolunteersandletthemknowtheyareappreciated.
Theywillcreateanaffirmingatmosphereforvolunteers,thatrecognizesthespiritualaspectsoftheirmotivationandtheirwork.
7168DohertyandHome.
2002:20669Furnham.
2005:56770Alvesson.
2002:93-10271NashandStewart.
2002:99AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200834ThisdefinitionofNashandStewartishighlyrelevanttothisproject,bothtothetheoreticalbaseanditisquitesimilartotheimpressionIhavegottenthroughtheinterviewsinmyresearch.
AccordingtoconsultantA,oneofthemostimportantfunctionsoftheleaders,istocareaboutthevolunteersandgivethemsomethinginsteadofwages.
LeaderBconsidershismostimportantfunction,inrelationtothevolunteers,tobackthemupandgivethemthesupporttheyneed.
Becauseinhisorganization,theassignmentsareprimarilyaboutcommunicatingandmakingcontacttotheclientsoftheorganization,andwhentheclientsarehighlytraumatized,itiseasyforthevolunteerstobecome"locked",becausetheywanttodotheirjobsinthebestpossibleway.
Bybackingthemupandsupportingthem,hegivesrecognitionandacknowledgement,comfortandsafety,sotheyareabletoflyontheirownwings.
Ibelievethattheresultsshow,thatthemostvitalfunctionoftheleadersinrelationstothevolunteers,isconsideredtocareaboutthem,andgivethemthesupportandtherecognitiontheyneedsotheycancontinuetodotheirjob.
Thathasinfluencesonthevolunteers'senseofwell-beingandhasalottosayaboutwhethertheorganizationscanfunctionoptimally.
4.
1.
3.
InlargerperspectiveAccordingtoconsultantA,thedevelopmentthroughthelastdecadeshasbeenthattheleadershaveagreatdealofadministrativeassignments,alongwithleadingthepersonnelgroupandhavefundraisingfunctions.
Theirjobistomakesurethattheordinancesandtheconcernmentsarefulfilled.
ConsultantBaddedthatmostleadersofvoluntaryorganizationshadtoworkcloselywithmanagementcommitteeselectedtocontrolandmanagetheorganizations.
Withthisdevelopment,ithasbecomeveryrarethatleadersarealsovolunteers,sothemajorityofleaderstodayarepaidworkers.
72Thisdescriptionoftheleaders'rolefitsverywellwiththefunctionsleaderBhasbutleaderAhasaslightlydifferentfunctions,sincehisorganizationisabitdifferent.
Hisdirectcontactwiththevolunteersisverylimited,andhisjobrequiresmoreoversight.
He72Klausen.
1990:24AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200835considershismainassignmentbetotakeinrefugeesandhelpthemgetintegratedinDenmark.
BothatthepersonallevelandattheDanishjobmarket.
Inrelationstotheclients,hedealswiththemosttraumatizedrefugees.
Thefocusoftheorganizationissetonconsultingandadvisingassignments,butitisalsoaboutrunningalanguageschool.
Heisalsodealingwithalotofadministrationandhastomaketheeconomywork,sotheorganizationcankeepongoing.
Hehastomakesure,thattheorganizationhasenoughassignments,becausewithoutthemtheyhavenoincome.
JanMolinisaprofessoratCopenhagenbusinessschool(Danish:Handelshjskolen)andhasdoneresearchonnonprofitorganizations.
Inhisopinion,leadersofvoluntaryorganizationshaveneitheraharderjobnoreasier,thanleadersinotherorganizations.
Itisjustdifferent,inthewaythatitisbasedonthesurroundings,andinstitutionalconditionsareabiggerpartoftheleaders'roleandtheformfortheleadershiphastobebasedonthat.
Itisalsoimportantfortheleaderstokeepthecentralhistoricvaluesandtraditionsaliveandvisible.
73Itisnotonlyimportanttodotherightthings,itisjustasimportanttodothemintherightway.
74Onthebroaderscale,Ithinkitispossibletosaythattheleaders'rolewouldbetomakethevaluesandthegoalsoftheorganizationsasvisibleandapproachableaspossibleforthevolunteers,andtocreateworkenvironmentwheretherearemeaningfulperspectivesandrichpossibilitiestogrow.
75Ibelievethatitisnecessaryforleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsbothtobeconcernedabouttherelationstothevolunteersandtheorganizationsmanagement.
Itseemslikeleadersofvoluntaryorganizationshavetobeabletosolveverydifferentassignments,everythingfromworkingcloselywithvolunteersandclients,togeneralmanagementfunctions.
4.
2.
ThevolunteersmotivationDespitethemultiplemotivationfactorsmentionedinsection3.
6.
,theparticipantsmainlyexperiencedvolunteerswithtwomotives.
Theconsultantsagreedthatvolunteers73Molin.
1995:9174Christensen.
1995:12175Majgaard.
2004b:87AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200836mainlysoughttoimprovetheirsocialnetworkanddoactivitieswithothers.
Therefore,Ibelievethatitiscrucialfortheorganizationstohaveagoodworkenvironmentandatmosphere,sothevolunteersfeelgoodaboutshowingupandmeetingotherco-volunteers.
LeaderBsaidthathemainlyexperiencedtwogroupsofvolunteers;studentswhosoughtsomeprofessionallyrelatedexperiencebeforetheywenttothejobmarket,andpensionerthatsoughtsocialactivitiestoavoidisolationandtoproofthattheystillfeltsolidarityforimprovements.
Withinthosetwogroups,thereisroomforvarietiesanddiversitiesofthevolunteers'profiles.
Thosemotivationfactorsresultinanagegapinthevolunteergroup,sincethereisalackofmiddle-agedvolunteers.
Thatgroupistypicallyoccupiedwiththeircarrierandfamilylives,andbecauseofthat,theymightnothavethesurplusesleaderBsought.
Basedonthetheoreticalapproach,Idrawtheconclusionthatthemostconsciousmotivestodovoluntaryworkaresocialandintellectual.
Theothermotivationfactorsdebatedinsection3.
6.
seemlessobvious.
Theparticipantsdidnotseemtobedirectlyawareoftheunconsciousmotivesalthoughtheyemphasizedtheimportanceofacknowledgementandrecognitioninothercontexts.
Ibelievethattheunconsciousmotivesarejustasimportantastheconsciousmotives.
Furthermore,IbelievethatvoluntaryworkcanbeapartoffulfillingthetopthreeneedsofMaslow'shierarchyofbasicneeds(seesection3.
3.
).
Theneedofself-actualizationcanbeobtainedwhenthemotiveistoproofsomethingforoneself.
Theneedofrecognitionismostoftenanunconsciousmotivationfactorthatcanbefulfilledviarelationstoco-volunteers,theorganization'spersonnel,leaders,ortheorganizations'clients.
Thesocialneedsseemtobemostcommonandcanbefulfilledthroughsocialactivitiesandsocialnetwork.
Iconsiderallofthebasicneedstobeapartofone'swell-being.
Ifsomeofthemarefulfilledviavoluntarywork,itproofsthatvoluntaryworkcancontributetowell-being.
4.
3.
RecruitingvolunteersNowtherewillbefocusontherecruitmentprocess,whichisaboutfindingtherightvolunteersfortheorganizations,therecruitmentprocessitself,thelearningperiodandsocialintegration.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008374.
3.
1.
FindingtherightonesWhenrecruitingnewvolunteers,theymightbringnewimpulses,wishes,anddemandswiththem.
Sometimesthereisroomforthatwithintheorganizations,andsometimesthereisnot.
Thatmightresultinconflictswithinthegroup.
Theorganizationshavetomakechoicesaboutwhethertochangetheirpoliticstomeetthenewvolunteers,orsticktotheirpoliticsandleavetheoptiontothevolunteerstofindotherplacestodovoluntarywork.
76Thatmakesitrelevantfortheorganizationstofindoutwhatkindofvolunteerstheywanttoattractandhavetheirpoliciesandvaluesclearsothereislessrisktorecruitthewrongkind.
77NashandStewartagree,intheiropinionitisvitalfortheorganizationstorecruittherightvolunteersthatfitintotheworkenvironment,andrefusetheoneswhodonot.
78Theparticipantsintheresearchalsoemphasizedhowimportantitwasfortheleaderstomakeanefforttofindtherightvolunteers,sotheorganizationswouldnotusetheirresourcestoteachthevolunteershowtobeavolunteerattheirorganizations.
Theirexperienceshowsthatifthevolunteersarenotarightmatch,itcouldresultinthevolunteersquittingshortlyaftertheywererecruited.
ThatfitswelltoSchein'stheoryabouttheorganizationalculturetobemorelikelytosurviveifthenewvolunteersarewillingtoadapttotheorganization'spatterns(seesection3.
1.
).
Ibelievethatitistrue,andthatiswhyitisimportantfortheleaderstomaketheorganizations'patternsvisibleforthenewvolunteers,sotheyaremorelikelytofindtherightvolunteers.
4.
3.
2.
RecruitmentprocessTheconsultantsagreedwithBarbeitoaboutjobdescriptions(seesection3.
2.
).
Theybelievethatgoodjobdescriptions,alongwithprovidinggoodinformationsabouttheorganizations,arequiteimportantfortheorganizations.
LeaderAalsomentionedthosethings,andsinceheisnotthatmuchinvolvedintherecruitmentprocess,hefindsitimportantthattheirvolunteerconsultantsspendtimeinformingthevolunteersaboutthejobfunctions.
Iftheygetsomeconflictsinthelaterrun,thevolunteerconsultantsalso76DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:577DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:978NashandStewart.
2002:100AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200838dealwiththat.
LeaderAwasnotawareofthatformaljobdescriptionsexistedinhisorganization,andneitherwasleaderB.
AccordingtoleaderB,itisbecausetherearenoformalfunctionsotherthencommunicatingwiththeclients,anddosomeoccasionalhousework.
However,theorganizationrequestsaninformalprofileofthevolunteersthatconsistsofpersonsthathavepersonalsurplusesandarenottootroubledwithacertainproblemthattheycannottalkaboutit,withoutrelatingtotheirownexperienceandhistory.
Therefore,insteadofmakingaformaljobdescription,heseeksvolunteerswithacertainprofile;independentandmaturepersons,thatareabletotellandaskforhelp,iftheyneedto.
Thoseresultsindicatethattheleadershaveaveryimportantfunctionwhenitcomestotherecruitmentprocess.
Iftheleadersspendtimeandresourcestospottherightvolunteersandprovidethemwithgoodinformationaboutthejob,itwillbenefittheorganizationsinthelaterrun.
Ibelievethatitisdesirablefortheorganizationstomakeformaljobdescriptionsforthevoluntarywork.
However,eventhoughtherearenoformaljobdescriptions,IfinditcrucialfortheleaderstohaveanideaaboutwhatkindofprofilesthevolunteersshouldhaveandIthinkthatisanimportantfunctionoftheleaders.
4.
3.
3.
StartingasavolunteerWhentheinterestofdoingvoluntaryworkcomestothelight,thestartistofindtherightplace.
Itiscommonthatthevolunteershavetogothroughaninterviewbeforerecruited,andthatappliestotheorganizationsusedinthisproject.
LeaderBsaidthatintheinterviewprocesshetriedtogetasclosetothevolunteersaspossibletocheckiftheyfulfilledtherequirementsaccordingtothevolunteerprofile(seesection4.
3.
2.
).
Intheinterviews,healsousedtheopportunitytogiveinformationabouttheorganizationandthepossibleassignments.
AccordingtoleaderA,thereisnoformaltrainingprogramfornewvolunteersinhisorganization.
However,insomeofthesubdepartments,thevolunteersareoccasionallyofferedcoursesinhowtobeavolunteer.
Thatway,theyarealsorecognizedandacknowledgedfortheirinterestsandinputs.
IntheorganizationleadedbyleaderB,AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200839thereisatraditionforhavingtrainingprogramsinaformoftrialperiods.
Accordingtotheconsultants,atrialperiodisaverygoodideaandgivesthevolunteersachancetofeelhowtheatmosphereiswithintheorganizationsandwhattheassignmentsarelike,sotheyarebetterpreparedforthejobs.
Theconsultantsalsorecommendthattheorganizationsprovidedinformationmaterialinaformofafolder,sothevolunteerswereassuredrathertogettoomuchinformationthantoolittle.
Thereseemtobedifferentwaystostartasavolunteer,butthemostcommonwayseemstobeathoroughinterviewinthebeginning,andatrialperiodthereafter.
Aformaltrainingprogramcouldbeanexcellentidea,butIcanimaginethatitrequirestoomanyresourcesfromtheorganizations'behalf.
Nevertheless,Ibelievethatsomesortofatrainingprogramcouldturnouttobeagoodinvestmentfortheleaders.
Asuitabletrainingprogramforvoluntaryorganizationscouldbeinaformofmentoring-orcoachingrelationships,ortrialperiods.
4.
3.
4.
SocializationprocessesThedangersofstrongdemandsforthesocializationprocessesarethatthevolunteershavetogooverahighthresholdtobeapartoftheorganizationsandbesociallyaccepted.
79Insection3.
1.
,theoriesaboutsocializationprocessesandintegrationweredebatedandhowimportantitisforbothorganizationsandtheirworkerstohavegoodsocializationprocesses.
However,itcanalsobedamaginginthewaythatitcanmaketheorganizationsgrowthroughsomekindof"cloning",wherethesameintegrationmodelsareusedrepeatedlywiththesameresults.
Thenewmembersintegratetobeacloneoftheolderones,andinthatway,itisimpossiblefortheorganizationstogetfreshinputs.
80However,likepreviouslymentioned,therearealsoproblemswiththelackofsocializationprocessesandintegration,inthewaythatitcausesmultiplicitywithintheorganizations.
Hence,itisnecessaryforleaderstocreateabalancethatfitstheorganizations.
Neitheroneoftheleadershashadproblemsconcerningsocializationprocesses,andleaderBthoughtthereasonwasthatthereisafocusonthevolunteers'well-beinginformofrecognitionandacknowledgement,ratherthantryingtoclonethe79Brixen.
2004b:7180Majgaard.
2004b:89-90AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200840oldervolunteersandmakecertainvolunteertypes,thatpreventsvariationsanddiversities.
Accordingtohisexperience,thevolunteergrouphasalwaysbeenverydifferentwhenitcomestoculturalbackgrounds,politics,andethnicities,andthathasnotgivenanyproblems.
Hethinksitisimportanttospendtimelearningtoknoweachotherwithintheorganizations,anditisnotnecessarytoagreeabouteverything.
AccordingtoSchein'sideasaboutcultureofagroup,aninternalintegrationisvitalforthegrouptofunction.
Sincesocialnetworkseemstobethemostcommonmotivationfactorforvolunteers(seesection4.
2.
)andapartofthebasicneeds(seesection3.
3.
),itisimportantforthevolunteerstofeelliketheybelonginagroup.
SocializationprocessesshouldthereforebebuiltuponinternalintegrationandtotransferthesharedassumptionsScheintalksaboutinsection3.
1.
.
Fortheorganizationstofunctionoptimally,itiscrucialfortheleaderstofindagoodbalancewhenitcomestosocializationandmakeaneffortforthesocializationprocessestobesuccessful.
4.
4.
ProfessionalsversusvolunteersSincethemajorityoforganizationshavebothpaid,professionalworkersandvolunteers,itmakesitrelevanttofocusontherelationsbetweenthosetwogroups.
Inthissection,Iwillthereforelookintowhenpaidworkersareneeded,whethertherearedifferentdemands,andwhatthebenefitsofthoserelationscouldbe.
4.
4.
1.
WhenpaidworkersareneededIftheworkloadistoomuch,itiscommonfororganizationstohirepaidworkersalso,oftensomeoneswithaprofessionalbackground.
81Italldependsontheorganizationsandtheassignments.
LeaderAthinksthatitisquitepossibletodoagoodjobwithoutinvolvingprofessionals,buthefindsitimportanttointegratebothgroupswhenpossible.
Itcouldbeimpossiblebecauseoftheassignments,becausesometimestheassignmentsrequireapaidworkforce.
Thatcouldbebecauseoftheworkhours,theprofessionalism,orother.
Nevertheless,eventhoughthosetwogroupscannotintegrateinalloccurrences,thevolunteersalwayshavethepossibilitytoseekhelpandcounseling81Michaelsen.
2004:39AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200841fromthevolunteerconsultantsandtheconsultants'jobsaretoensurethatthecooperationissuccessful.
InthearticleFrivilligeogprofessionelleiorganisationerne,KirstenMichaelsenwroteaboutthesituationwhenorganizationsdecidetohiresomepaidworkers.
Thereisariskofthevolunteersmightfeellessvaluabletotheorganizationsandnotasbigapartofitasbefore.
Therewouldalsobeariskofcreatingdifferentkindofculturewithintheorganizations,wherethevolunteerswouldbeinonecornerandthepaidworkersinanother.
IagreewithMichaelsen'ssolutiontothis,thatitisvitalfortheorganizationstomakesentientdecisionsabouttheassignmentsforbothpartners,toavoidthoseconflictsmentionedabove.
82However,luckilythosekindsofconflictsdonotseemtobeverycommonaccordingtotheparticipants.
Ibelievethatconflictsituationscouldbeavoidedifthevoluntaryorganizationsaregoodatlisteningandconsultthevolunteers.
Theleadershavetobeawareofthatthevoluntaryorganizationscouldnotsurvivewithoutvoluntaryworkforce.
4.
4.
2.
DifferentdemandsBirgitPerlt,wrotethearticleFrivilligeogprofessionelle–amodernepasdedeuxandinheropinionlatentconflictsbetweenbeingavolunteerandbeingprofessionalcan'tbeavoided,becauseitisimpossibletobeavolunteerwithoutapast.
83Iagreewithher,becauseIbelievethatallvolunteershavecollectedalifeexperiencethatcansomehowberelevantfortheirvoluntarywork.
Inthatway,thegapbetweenthevolunteersandtheprofessionalworkerscanvary,anddependsontheindividuals.
Theconsultantsagreedwiththat,andsaidthatthevolunteerswereoftenmorequalifiedtosolvetheassignmentsandgivesupervisiontoothers,thantheprofessionalworkers.
However,therearedifferentdemandstovoluntaryworkersthatshouldbeconsidered,andthereforethevolunteersshouldnotcarryasmuchresponsibilityastheoneswhoarepaid.
Thatiswhythevolunteerscansaynotoassignments,andunderthosecircumstances,thepaidworkerstakeover.
LeaderBmentionedthesamething,andsaidthatthevolunteersshouldnotcarrymoreresponsibilitythentheyarereadyfor.
Ibelievethatthe82Michaelsen.
2004:41-4383Perlt.
2004:60AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200842organizationscannotmakethesamedemandstovolunteersastheycantopaidworkers.
Thevolunteersareusuallytherebecausetheywanttomakeadifference,butarenotfinanciallydependentontheorganizations.
Thatiswhythevolunteersdonothavethesamekindofprofessionalsecrecyorthesamedutytoinformaboutproblemsorcrimes.
84AccordingtoleaderB,thedifferentdemandscancauseunevenbalance,whereheasaleader,hasatendencytofocusonthepaidworkersinsteadofthevolunteers.
Thesamethingcanbereflectedinunsolvableconflictsbetweenthevolunteersandtheprofessionals,whereheisforcedtofocusontheprofessionalworkersinsteadofthevolunteers.
Itiseasiertoaskthevolunteerstoresignthenthepaidworkers,andheisforcedtothinkaboutthewholepictureandwhatwouldbebetterfortheorganization.
Inthatway,differentdemandscanresultinunevennessthatthevolunteershavetoexcept.
However,thefactisthattherearedifferentdemandstovolunteersandpaidworkers.
Ibelievethatthedemandsaredifferentbecausethevolunteersshouldnotfeelpressuredandtheorganizationshavetotakethevolunteers'motivesandinterestsinconsideration,iftheywanttoholdontothem.
Thedifferentdemandscancauseunevenbalances,butIdonotthinkthatitcanbeavoided.
4.
4.
3.
BenefitsfromthecooperationConsultantBthinksthatitcouldbeanadvantagetohavebothprofessionalworkersandvolunteers,becausethevolunteersmighthavedifferentbackgroundthentheprofessionalworkers(seesection4.
6.
1.
).
Tobeaprofessionaldefinesonewithinacertaingroupandbecomesapartofonesidentity,justlikebeingavolunteercouldbeapartofonesidentity.
85PeterAagaardisaPhd-studentwhowrotethearticleHvaddeprofessionellekanlreafdefrivillige.
Inhisopinion,professionalscouldbenefitsomelearningfromthevolunteers,whichinvolvesengagementtotakeonassignmentsthatarenotnecessarilydecidedbytheorganizations.
86LeaderBsaidthattherewasnodoubtabouttheculturebeingdifferentwithintheorganizationbecausetherearebothvolunteersandprofessionalworkers.
Itmightresultinfriendlieratmospherewherethereisagreat84Perlt.
2004:59-6085Aagaard.
2007:12886Aagaard.
2007:148AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200843focusonsolvingtheassignments.
Byfriendly,hemeansthatiftherewereonlyprofessionalworkers,theworkenvironmentwouldeasilygettooprofessionalized.
Thatisbecausethefocuswouldbeonbeingaprofessionalsocialworker,sointheendthatwouldbemoreimportantthansolvingtheassignments.
Sointhatway,theprofessionalscouldbenefitfromcooperatingwithvolunteers.
LeaderBsaid,thatwithvolunteersintheorganization,therearealwayssome"stupidquestions"aboutworkmethods,askedbythevolunteersbecausetheirbackgroundissodifferent.
Thatiscrucialforthedevelopmentoftheorganizations.
Itcouldalsobefriendlieratmospherebecausethepaidworkersareresponsibleforcreatinganatmospherewerethevolunteersfeelwelcome.
LeaderAagreedthatthecooperationcouldbenefittheorganization,butwasnotsurewhetherthevolunteerscouldgetsomethingdirectlyoutofthecooperation.
Maybeitwouldhelpthemtoorganizebetter,becausetheprofessionalworkersareresponsiblefororganizingthework.
Thatissothevolunteerscanconcentrateondoingwhattheywanttoandareinterestedin,insteadofdealingwithalotofadministration.
Thevolunteersmightalsobeabletobenefitfromsupervisionfromtheprofessionals,sincetheymightnothaveasprofessionalbackground.
Obviously,therearesomedifferentopinionsonthissubjectandtheresultsmightbeverydifferentifIhadinterviewedsomeonefrompurevoluntaryorganizations,wheretherearenopaidworkers.
However,allparticipantsthoughtthatthereweresomebenefitsfromthecooperation,buttheyhaddifferentviewsonit.
Ibelievethatthecooperationcouldbenefitallparties,whereitfitsintheorganizationalculture.
Mostimportantly,Ifoundoutthatallparticipantsfocusedonthevolunteerswell-beingwhenthiscooperationwasdebated,forexamplebyhiringpaidworkerstotakecareoftheadministrationandtaketheresponsibility,sothevolunteerscouldfocusondoingthevoluntaryworktheycametherefor.
4.
5.
Thevolunteers'impactAccordingtoSchein'stheoryaboutorganizationalculture,itisvitalthatthevolunteersarewillingtoadaptbutstillgivenanopportunitytoimproveformermethodsoftheorganization(seesection3.
1.
).
Therefore,Ibelieveitcouldbedifficultfortheleaderstofindabalanceofhowmuchimpactfromthevolunteers'behalf,isdesirableforAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200844theorganizationstofunctionoptimally.
LeaderAconsidersittobeuptothevolunteersthemselveshowmuchinfluencetheywanttohave.
Thevolunteers'impactinhisorganizationmightbeofadifferentdegreebecauseofthesizeoftheorganization.
Everyonewhoisinterested,havetheopportunitytositinmanagementcommitteesorstarttheirownprojectssupportedbytheorganization.
Thatway,itisuptothevolunteersthemselvestofindtheareatheywanttoworkwith.
Theopportunitiesarethere,butitrequiresawillandimaginationofthevolunteers.
Inthatway,thereisafocusontheindividuals'needsandwell-being.
LeaderBconsidersthenewvolunteerstobeasourceofinspirationtodevelopmentandhehopesthatitgoesforthewholeorganization.
Anotherpurposeofthetrialperiods,thenmentionedinsection4.
3.
3.
,istogivethenewvolunteersopportunitytodiscovertheorganizationsontheirownandafterwardstheorganizationscouldbenefitfromtheirfreshinputsandnewvisionsattheorganizations.
Ibelievethatitisextremelyusefulandoftenagreatadvantagewhenitcomestoregularclientsoftheorganizations.
LeaderBadded,thatinthosesituations,theoldervolunteersandtheotherpersonnel,haveatendencytostopexperimenting,andstartusethesamemethodsallthetime.
Butwheretherearenewvolunteersitiseasiertoseetheclients'problemsfromadifferentperspectiveandtryothermethods,thatcouldturnouttobeuseful.
LeaderBalsotalkedaboutthatitisvitalfortheorganizationsnottodevelopfromthevolunteersandbetooprofessionalized,sothattherewillnotberoomforthevolunteers.
Ibelievethattheessenceofvoluntaryorganizationsisthevoluntaryworkforceandwithoutthat,theorganizationswouldnotexist.
Atthesametime,itisalsoimportanttoworkwithprofessionalthemesandmethods,notjusttobenefittheorganizationsbutalsotheindividualswithinthem.
However,iftheorganizationsaretooprofessionalized,therewillbeacrisisbecauseitiscrucialfortheorganizationstocontainwholeness,wherethereisroomfordevelopment.
Thesameminutetheorganizationsstoptoleratingfaultsandimperfections,itwillturnintoprocessesofprecipitationinsteadoflearningprocesses.
IagreewithleaderBwhenheconsidersdevelopmentincoalitionwiththevolunteerstobethekeyword,eventhoughitisnotalwayssuccessful.
IbelievethatitisvitalforleadersofvoluntaryorganizationstofocusonorganizationalcultureanddevelopmentprocessesincooperationwiththeirvoluntaryAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200845workforceandgivethemachancetohaveanimpacttotheorganizations.
Todothat,thereareseveralmethodsbutitismostimportanttolistentothemandwhatneedstheyhave.
Itcouldalsobeanideatomakesurveyswithinthevolunteergroupinordertogetoversight.
Itisimportantfortheleaderstofindabalanceofhowmuchimpactisdesirablefortheorganizations.
Ibelievethatthedesirablebalancecanvaryfromoneorganizationtoanother,butitisstillnecessarythatthevolunteershaveopportunitytoinfluencetheorganizationsinsomeways.
4.
6.
WorkenvironmentAsmentionedinsection4.
1.
,oneoftheleaders'functionsistocreateagoodworkenvironment.
Theimportanceofagoodworkenvironmentcanbecrucialwhenitcomestoholdingontovolunteers.
Thereshouldbefocusonavoidinganegativepsychologicalenvironmentandnotfocusingongossip,conflicts,andnegativehierarchy.
87Organizationsthatdependonvoluntaryworkforceoftenrunonalowbudget.
Therefore,alowbudgetcouldbetheirexcusefornotmakinganefforttocreateagoodphysicalworkenvironment.
However,Ibelievethatitispossibletocreateaworkenvironmentthatcouldinfluencetheworkofthevolunteersdespiteofalowbudget.
Bymakingtheworkenvironmentwarmandcozy,byusingflowers,candles,photosandpictures,itispossibletocreateagoodatmospherewithalowbudget.
Bydoingthat,thevolunteersarealsolikelytocareenoughtomaketheirowncontributions.
88Alltheparticipantsagreedontheimportanceofcreatingagoodworkenvironmentwithanatmospherewherethevolunteersfeelgood,welcome,andacknowledged.
Iconsiderthatabigpartofthevolunteers'well-beingandshouldnotbeunderestimatedbytheleadersofvoluntaryorganizations.
Buteventhoughtheleadersareresponsibleforcreatingagoodworkenvironment,itcanneverbemaintainedwithouttheworkersinput,andeventuallytheworkershavemostinfluencesontheworkenvironment(seesection3.
5.
).
However,Ibelievethatitisapartoftheleaders'functiontocreategroundforagoodworkenvironmentthatcanhelptoincreasethevolunteers'well-being.
Thatislikelytoresultintheirrecognitionofagoodworkenvironment.
87DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:25-2888NashandStewart.
2002:101AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008464.
6.
1.
Thevolunteers'backgroundInrelationtotheorganizationalculturetheories,Iwonderedabouttheimportanceofthevolunteers'backgroundsandtherelationtomyproject.
ThatiswhyIaskedtheparticipantsabouttheirexperiencesandopinionsconcerningthat.
Theparticipantsagreedthatitwasnotnegativethatthevolunteershaddifferentbackground.
Theirexperiencewasthatthevolunteerswereverydifferentbutthemajorityofthemhadsimilarmotivesandvisions.
Differentbackgroundsandvisionscanbenefittheorganizationsinmanywaysandhelpmeettheclients'needs.
Ifeveryoneisthesame,thedangeristhatpeopleagreewiththeotheronestoomuch,alsoinfailuresandeachother'sfaults.
Ithinkthatvariationsofvolunteerswithdifferentbackgroundaremorepositivethannegative,andcanbenefittheorganizationsinmanyways.
Thevolunteerscan"mirror"thesociety,andthathelpstheorganizationstodevelopandmeettheclients'needs.
4.
6.
2.
TrustingthevolunteersBoththeleadersmentionedthatitwasvitaltotrustthevolunteerstodotheirjob.
LeaderAtrustedthevolunteersjustasmuchastheprofessionalworkers,becauseinthemodernworld,atleasthereinScandinavia,peopleareingeneralveryresponsibleandwillingtomakesacrificesfortheirassignments,nomatterwhethertheyarevolunteersornot.
Aslongasthevolunteersstayinsidetheworkframesprovidedbytheorganization,theyhavefreedomtodotheirjob.
Therefore,Iconsiderittheorganizations'jobtoprovidetheseworkframes,andthevolunteers'jobistoberesponsiblefordoingtheirjobwithinthoseworkframes.
Inorderforthatmechanismtowork,itisnecessarytogivethevolunteersfreedomandtrustthemtodotheirjob.
LeaderBfeltthesameway,buthealsofeltthatithadtobemutualandgobothways.
Inhisjobitisimportanttobeabletotrustthatthevolunteersarecapableofaskingforhelpifitisneeded,andnottryingtocoverupformistakes.
Therefore,Iconsidertrustworthinesstobeanimportantfactorthatleadersshouldfocusonwhentheyinterviewnewvolunteers.
Ibelievethatitiscrucialfortheorganizationsandtheirleaders,totrusttheirvolunteers,becauseiftheydonot,theywillhavetoconcentratetoomuchontheAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200847volunteersinsteadoffulfillingtheorganizations'purposes.
Trustisalsoimportantforthevolunteers'senseofwell-beinglikementionedinsection3.
5.
1.
,andtheparticipantsdonotseemtounderestimatethevalueofthat.
4.
6.
3.
DemocracyattheworkplaceAccordingtotheparticipants,itisimportantthatthevolunteersareheardandlistenedto,nomatterwhethertheyareneworexperienced.
Everyoneshouldbetreatedthesamewayandinordertogivethevolunteersachancetoimprovetheorganizations'formermethods(seesection3.
1.
),itisnecessaryfortheorganizationstobeopentowardsthevolunteers'ideas.
AccordingtoAnnBrixen'sideas,ademocraticworkstructurecanmakeiteasierfortheorganizationstobuildonthevolunteers'interests.
89However,eventhoughitisimportantfortheorganizationstodevelopwiththevolunteers,likeIdebatedinsection4.
5.
,thentherearesomelimits.
Iftheorganizationdoesnotfitthevolunteers,theyshouldfindanotherplacetobevolunteers.
ButIdoagree,thatwithademocraticstructure,itiseasierfortheorganizationstogrowwiththevolunteersandbuildontheirinterests,itjustcannotbetheonlyfactororganizationshavetodevelop.
ThemajorityofDanishvoluntaryorganizationshavemanagementcommittees,wherethevolunteerscanvotepersonstorepresentthem.
Thecriticisthough,thatthevolunteers,speciallythenewones,mightfindthatthereisalongwaytothetopandtheirvoicewillnotbeheard.
90LeaderAhasagoodexperiencewithmanagementcommitteesandfindsitimportantthatthevolunteershaveachancetopresentthemselvesandgetelectedforthesecommitteesiftheyareinterested.
Inthatway,theorganizationisrunpartlybythevolunteers,alongwiththemanymemberorganizations,andthevolunteershaveachancetogoallthewaytothetop.
Iconsideritpositive,thatthevolunteershaveapossibilitytoinfluencetheorganizationsatalargerscaleorhavetheoptiontoconcentrateonsmallerassignments,whicharejustasimportant.
Thefactisthatsomevolunteersareinterestedinthepoliticalworkandotheronesareinterestedinthepracticalwork.
InleaderB'sorganization,thereisalsoamanagementcommittee,whereboththeleaderandrepresentsofthevolunteers,sitwithoutarighttovote.
However,theyare89Brixen.
2004a:1990Brixen.
2004a:20-217AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200848listenedtoandhavetherighttospeakup,andthatisquiteimportantforthebasicneedofrecognition.
Acertaindemocracyisgood,butthereshouldstillbesomeboundariesforhowmuchthevolunteersshouldbeallowedtocontrol.
Iftheorganizationsrequiredthevolunteerstobeapartofeverydecisionmaking,itwouldbehardforthevolunteerstoconcentrateaboutwhattheyreallyaretherefor.
91Ibelievethatthevolunteers'motivationisnottodealwiththoseaspectsoftheorganizations,buttodosomethinggoodandhelp(seesection3.
6.
and4.
2.
).
ThatmightbethereasonbehindthestructureinleaderB'sorganization.
Hedoesnotconsidertheirworkstructuretobeverydemocratic,butlikeinleaderA'sorganization,thereisacertainautonomythatallowsthevolunteerstodotheirjobwithincertainworkframes.
Asaleader,heistheonetomakethelastdecision,unlessitconcernsthemanagementcommittee,andhehasnotexperiencednegativeviewsconcerningthat.
Thedemocracyinvolvesthateverybodyareheard,andgettospeakup.
Accordingtothis,Ithinkademocraticstructureisimportant,butshouldnotbeacontrollingfactorfortheorganizations.
Thevolunteers'motivationdoesnotusuallyconcernthoseaspectsandtheyshouldbefocusingondoingwhattheycametherefor.
Ibelieveitcouldalsogivethemasafetyfeeling,iftheorganizationshavecertainstabilityandasteadyground.
AsafetyfeelingisoneofthebasicneedsinMaslow'shierarchy(seesection3.
3.
)andcontributestoone'ssenseofwell-being.
Ibelievethataslongasthevolunteersareheardandlistenedto,theirwell-beingisserved.
4.
7.
LackofvolunteersIftheorganizationsaresupposetofunctionoptimally,itisvitalfortheleaderstopreventapermanentlackofvolunteers.
Inthiscontext,ithastobeconsideredthatbecauseitisvoluntaryworkitisnormaltohavemoreflowintheworkgroup.
Accordingtotheparticipants,itisnormaltohaveregularlychangesinthevolunteergroupsanditdoesnothavetobenegative.
Itcouldbeapartofkeepingtheorganizationsaliveanddeveloping.
Thedevelopmentoverthelastdecadeshasalsoresultedinvolunteerschangingworkplacesandfunctionsataregularbasis,inordertodevelopthemselves91LaCour.
2004:102AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200849personallyandtrysomethingnew.
Thatispossiblebecausethenumberofvoluntaryorganizationshasincreasedgreatly,andthatprovidesnewopportunitiesforthevolunteers.
Ibelievethatitisimportantfortheleaderstomotivatethevolunteersandmaketheworkattractivetoavoidlackofvolunteers.
Iftheorganizationsexperiencelackofvolunteers,itcouldbenecessarytofreshuptheorganizations'imagesandevaluatewhethertheorganizations'valuesandpurposescouldbecommunicatedinabetterway.
Theotheroptionwouldbetotakeadeeperlookatthecontentsoftheorganizations,andseeifanychangesshouldbemade.
Thevolunteersmightnotfindthepurposesinterestingenough,andthatislikelytomakethemlessmotivated.
92Featureslikehowtheorganizationswelcomenewvolunteers,howtheyareinformedaboutthejobsandthefunctionsoftheorganizations,andhowtheorganizationsseekvolunteers,areexamplesofthefeaturestheorganizationsshouldlookintoiftheystartexperiencingseriouslackofvolunteers.
Itiseasyforthevolunteerstoquitiftheyexperiencesomethingtheyarenotsatisfiedwith.
Idothinkitisimportantfortheleaderstotrypreventinglackofvolunteers,becausethatcouldcausegreatproblemsfortheorganizations.
Itisalsoimportanttokeepthepopularitiesoftheorganizationsalive,becausethatmakesiteasierfortheorganizationstorecruitnewvolunteers.
Buteventhoughtheorganizationsarenotdealingwithlackofvolunteers,Ibelieveitispositivefortheleaderstoconstantlylookintotheorganizations'images,values,purposesandmethods,andevaluateiftheyarestillvalidandessential.
Theorganizationsshouldneverhavetousemostresourcesandenergyonrecruitingvolunteers,becausetheorganizationsdonotexistfortheirsakes,butfortheclients.
4.
8.
Relationsbetweenwell-beingandvoluntarismInsection3.
7.
,Idebatedtheegoisticaspectofdoingvoluntarywork.
ThatiswhyIaskedtheparticipantswhethertheythoughttherewererelationsbetweenwell-beinganddoingvoluntarywork.
92Majgaard.
2004a:12;DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:4AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200850Theconsultantswerebothquitesurethattherewererelationsandthatwasapositivefact,becausethereisnothingwrongwithvolunteershelpingthemselveswhiletheyhelpsomeoneelse.
AccordingtoconsultantAthatwasnotacceptableinthepast,butthedevelopmentduringthelastdecadeshadchangedthatideology,andtoday,itisconsideredpartofvoluntarywork.
Apartofthevolunteers'well-beingcouldinvolverelationstootherpeople,helpthemintheircrisis,learnfromtheexperiencestheygetasvolunteers,anddevelopasindividuals.
Theexperiencesvolunteersgetduringtheirvoluntarywork,caneasilyhelpthemintheirownlives,changetheirvisiontothelife,andprovidethemwithsomethingtheywouldnothaveexperiencedotherwise,andthatisalsoapartofthevolunteers'well-being.
Bothoftheleadersalsoagreedthatthereweredefinitelyrelations.
LeaderAthoughtitcouldbebecausewhenthevolunteersexperiencethattheycanhelpandmakeadifferenceforsomeoneelse,theygetsatisfiedandhappywiththeirinput,andthatisapartofwell-being.
Hebelievesthatvoluntaryworkcanimprovethequalityoflife,butitisnotnecessarytobeavolunteertoimprovethequality.
Thereareotherwaystohelppeoplethandoingvoluntarywork.
Sowhenhelpingothers,youcanhelpyourselfandimproveyourlifeandwell-being,nomatterwhetheritisthroughvoluntaryworkornot.
However,Ibelievethatvoluntaryworkmakesitawin-winsituationforeveryoneinvolved,andcouldresultinmoreinterestforvoluntarywork.
LeaderBagreedwithleaderAonthatitwasnotnecessarytobeavolunteertoincreasewell-being,becauseeveryonewhohelpsotherpeoplecanexperiencethesame,eventhoughtheydonotdovoluntarywork.
However,volunteersareoftentheoneswhohavetherequiredsurpluses,andarecapabletohelpothers.
Itcouldbepossibletohelpotherpeoplewithouthelpingyourselfforaperiod,butitdoesnotholdintheend.
Therefore,Ibelievethatinthelongerrun,itisnotpossibletodosomethingforotherswithoutbenefitingfromitpersonally,andthatisanaturalmechanismthatshouldnotbeunderestimated.
Accordingtothis,itispossibletoincreaseyouronewell-beingwhenhelpingothers,nomatterifitinvolvesdoingvoluntaryworkornot.
Itispositivetobenefitpersonallyfromhelpingothers,anditcouldresultinthevolunteersholdinglongerandalsoinincreasedinterestingeneralfordoingvoluntarywork.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008514.
9.
Methodstoincreasevolunteerswell-beingTheparticipantsallagreedthatthereweremanythingstheleaderscoulddotoincreasevolunteers'senseofwell-being.
Thissectionisdividedinsystematicmethodsandindividualizedmethods.
4.
9.
1.
SystematicmethodsSomeorganizationsfinditimportantfortheirvolunteers'well-beingtohavecourses,lecturesorsomethingeducationalandtoevaluatetheirworkregularlysothevolunteerscanhavesomesenseofwheretheystand.
93LeaderAhasexperiencedthatthevolunteersappreciateiftheyoccasionallyareofferedsomecoursesandlectures,wheredifferentthemesrelatedtotheirwork,aredebated.
TheyarealsoofferedtovisittheirheadofficeinCopenhagen,tobeinformedabouttheworkframesandtheorganization'spolicy.
Bygivingthevolunteerssomecoursesandlectures,itbenefitsallparties.
Thevolunteersfeelliketheygainsomethingtheycanuseandtheyaremorelikelytocreateasocialnetwork,andtheorganizationsgetbetter-qualifiedvolunteers.
LeaderB,saidthattheyalsomadesomeefforttoofferthevolunteerssomecoursesandlectures.
However,hefounditmostimportanttoemphasizeonthatbeingarewardingexperienceforthevolunteers.
Inhisorganization,theyhaveanannualcourseweekend,wheretheytrytospoilthevolunteersandshowthemthattheirworkishighlyappreciated.
Oneofthemaingoalswiththatweekendcourseisteambuildingandcreationofsocialnetworkamongtheworkers,boththevolunteersandtheprofessionals.
Forthesamereasons,theyhaveChristmasarrangement,regularmeetings,andotherevents.
Heemphasizestheimportanceofhavingagoodatmosphere,wheretheworkersacknowledgeandrecognizeeachother'swork.
Therefore,itisvitalthatthevolunteershaveanideaaboutwhomtheotheronesare,andgettoknowthemviasomearrangements.
Thatcanresultinthevolunteersbeingmorelikelytoworkmore;becausethevolunteersoftenarrangewithsomeonetheymeetatthesearrangementstohaveshiftstogether.
Thatcanbebeneficialfortheorganizations.
93DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:30-31AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200852ConsultantAagreedwiththeleadersabouttheimportanceofsucharrangements,andthatitcouldbenefitthevolunteers,bothintheirworkandpersonallife.
Shealsosaidthatsomeorganizationstheycooperatedwithhadagoodexperiencewithgivingtheirvolunteersarecommendationtheycanuseatthejobmarket.
Thatisoftenquiterewardingfortheyoungerones,whoaredoingvoluntaryworktoseekexperiencebeforetheygooutatthejobmarket.
Shealsomentionedthatsomeorganizationshadagoodexperiencebyholdingindividualconversationwiththevolunteers,sothevolunteerswouldfeelappreciated,anditgivesbothpartiesachancetogettoknoweachotherbetter.
Shethinksitisimportantfortheleadernottoseethevolunteersasagroup,butasindividuals,becausetheyaresodifferent.
Itseemsliketheparticipantsallagreeon,thatmostofthesystematicmethods,organizationscanusefortheirvolunteers,allresultinbenefitingboththevolunteersandtheorganizations.
Therefore,myresultsarethatthosemethodsareextremelyimportantforthevolunteers'well-being,butIdonotconsideritenough,asIwilldebateinthenextsection.
4.
9.
2.
IndividualizedmethodsOneofthemostimportantfunctionsoftheleadersinvoluntaryorganizationsistocareabouttheirvolunteers'well-being.
Oftenthatcanbedonebyhavingsocialeventsforthestaff,havingmeetingsandgoodpolicies,likeIdebatedinsection4.
9.
1.
.
However,oftenitismoreimportanttogivecomplimentsandappreciatethevolunteersworkatthedailybasis.
94ButIbelievethatitshouldbepossibletocreateabalancebetweensystematicmethodsandmoreindividualizedmethods,andtendtobothsides.
Theconsultantsagreedonthattheorganizationsshouldlookateachvolunteers'competencesandindispensability,andtaketheindividuals'needsinconsideration.
Thevolunteersdonotalwaysrequestthatmuch,sometimesasimplecomplementandsolicitudeisenoughtosatisfythevolunteers'needs.
Theorganizationsshouldneverrequestmorefromthevolunteersthantheyarereadyfor.
LeaderBthoughtthathismostimportantfunction,concerningthevolunteers'well-being,wastocreateacknowledging94DeFrivilligesHus.
2007:29-30AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200853contextandworkframes.
Tomakeanefforttogettoknowthevolunteersindividually,andfindoutwhotheyare.
Hisexperienceisthatwhenhehasmanagedtocreateasocialconnectiontothevolunteers,thevolunteersfeelmoreappreciatedandworthy.
LeaderAalsofounditimportanttoacknowledgethevolunteersandcomplimentthem.
Becauseiftheydonotfeelappreciatedandacknowledged,theyfeelliketheirinputisworthless.
Accordingtotheconsultants,averyimportantfactorintheacknowledgementprocessistolistentothevolunteersandallowthemtoinfluencetheorganizations.
Somevolunteersareshyerthanothersare,anditusuallymeansalottothemiftheleadersmakesurethattheiropinionsareheard.
Thatrequiresthattheleadersareopenminded,andwillingtolistentothevolunteers'opinions.
Itisquiteimportantthattheleadersprovideworkframes,sothevolunteersknowexactlywhatisrequestedofthem.
Theleadershavetomakesure,thatthereissomethingforthevolunteerstocomeafter,sotheydonotgohomewiththefeelingthattheirworkwasworthless.
Iftherearenoassignments,itcanbeusefultodiscusssomeofearlierexperiencesandgivesupervision.
Itcanbeveryimportantforthevolunteersthatthereisafollow-uponsomeoftheirearlierassignments,sotheyfeelthattheycancontinuetheirworkinpositiveways.
Eventhoughtherearenoassignments,thetimecouldbeusedtoworkonthesocialnetwork,learntoknoweachotherandenjoythecompanyofotherhumanbeings.
Ibelievethatacknowledgementandappreciationresultinthevolunteersincreasedwell-being.
Leadersofvoluntaryorganizationsshouldhaveagreatfocusondoingwhattheycaninthiscontext,usingbothsystematicmethodsandmoreindividualizedmethods.
Itcouldalsobeenseenaspreventingactionsfromtheorganizations'behalf,becauseiftheydonotmakeanefforttofulfillthoseneeds,thevolunteerswillloosetheinterestindoingvoluntarywork,andthatwouldeventuallyresultintheorganizationscollapsing.
4.
10.
SummaryAftertheintroduction,Idebatedtheleaders'rolewhereIfoundoutthatthemostimportantfunctionsoftheleadersinrelationtothevolunteers,istoprovidethemwithcare,supportandrecognition.
Inalargerperspective,theleadershavetodealwithalotofadministration,maketheorganizationsvisibleoutwards,creategoodworkAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200854environment,andcreateworkframesbasedontheorganizations'goalsandvalues.
Itisalsoimportantfortheleaderstospendtimeandresourcesfindingtherightvolunteers,andprovidethemwithgoodinformationabouttheassignmentsandtheorganization.
Theleadersalsohavetofindvolunteerstheycantrust;otherwise,itwouldresultintheleadersusingmostoftheirenergyandresourcesincheckinguponthevolunteers.
Iconsideritvitalfortheleaderstotakethevolunteers'impactinconsiderationandlistentothem,whenitcomestodevelopmentprocesses.
Thatway,thevolunteersfeelworthyandacknowledged.
Allparticipantsthoughtitcouldbenefittheorganizationstohavevariationsofvolunteerswithdifferentbackgrounds,sotheorganizationswouldbemorelikelytomeettheirclients'needs.
Ialsofoundout,thatitisnecessaryforthevolunteers,atleastinthelongerrun,toincreasetheirownwell-beingviatheirvoluntarywork,topreventthemfromburningout.
Ifthevolunteersarenotbenefitingpersonallyfromdoingvoluntarywork,itiseasyforthemtoresignincontrastwithpaidworkers.
Thepaidworkersarepartlymotivatedtocontinuetheirjobbygettingapaycheck,butifthevolunteersfeelpressuredandarenotawardedfortheirinput,thereisnothingholdingontothem.
Theleaderscanawardthevolunteersusingsystematicmethodsandmoreindividualizedmethods.
Bothofthosemethodsareextremelyimportantandnecessary.
AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust2008555.
ConclusionInthislastchapter,IwilldiscussthemainconclusionsandintroduceaprocessmodelthatIhaveconstructedinrelationstotheresearchresultstogiveanexampleofanidealvoluntaryworkprocess.
Insection5.
2.
,therelevanceisdebatedfromtheleaders'perspective,andthereafterIwillendwithsomefinalwords.
5.
1.
MainconclusionsAtthispoint,itisnecessarytorelatethemainconclusionstotheresearchproblem:a.
Whatcanleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsdoinrelationtovoluntaryworkforce,sotheorganizationscanfunctionoptimallyLeadersofvoluntaryorganizationshavemultiplefunctions.
Theybothhavetobeabletodealwiththemanagementinalargerperspective,andtheyhavetoworkcloselywithvolunteersandclients.
Theleaders'functionsinrelationstothevolunteers,ismainlytocareaboutthem,supportthemintheirwork,respecttheirneeds,andrecognizetheirworkinputs.
Themotiveformanyvolunteersistobepartofasocialnetwork,sooneoftheleaders'functionsshouldbetoworkoncreatingsocialactivities,andgoodsocializationprocesses.
Thatisalsoapartofcreatingagoodworkenvironmentthatcanbecrucialwhenitcomestokeepingtheexistingvoluntaryworkforceandattractingnewvolunteers.
Inmyopinion,theleadersshouldcreateacertaindemocraticworkstructure,werethevolunteershaveanopportunitytohaveimpacttotheorganizationsandcontributetothedevelopmentoftheorganizations.
Inorderforthattobeasuccessforallparties,itisnecessaryfortheleaderstofindagoodbalanceforthedegreeofthevolunteers'impact.
Ibelievethatitisimportantthattheleadersspendtimeandresourcestofindvolunteerswithaprofilethatfitstheorganization,andapproachthepotentialvoluntaryworkforceinadesirableway.
Whennewvolunteersapproachtheorganizations,theAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200856leadersshouldmakeanefforttofindtherightvolunteersandbesurethattheassignmentsfitthevolunteers'needs.
Agoodideatogivethevolunteersagoodstartistohavethoroughinterviewsinthebeginning,andafterwardstrialperiodswithevaluation.
Bydoingthis,theleadersavoidproblemsinthelongerrun,andbuildupaworkenvironmentthathasresourcestofocusonthevolunteers'well-being.
Thedesirablevolunteerprofilewouldincludetrustworthypersonswithsomesurplusesintheirlivesthataremotivatedtodovoluntarywork.
Topreventalackofvolunteers,theleadersshouldconstantlyworkontheorganizations'images,andregularlyevaluatewhethertheorganizations'values,purposesandmethods,arestillrelevant.
b.
Whatcanleadersdotoincreasethevolunteers'well-beingFromthetheoreticalpointofviewandaccordingtotheresearch,theresultsarethattherearestrongrelationsbetweentheleadersofvoluntaryorganizationsandthevoluntaryworkforce.
Therefore,leadersshoulddefinitelypayattentiontotheirvolunteers'well-beingbecausethevoluntaryworkforcehasagreatrelevancetotheorganizations,likeIwilldebatefurtherinsection5.
2.
.
Theleadershavemanypossibilitiestoincreasethevolunteers'senseofwell-beingandoneofthemistosupportthecreationofagoodworkenvironment.
Agoodworkenvironmentcanbedefinedasanenvironmentwithacertaindemocraticstructurethatgivesallworkers,bothvolunteersandprofessionals,achancetoinfluencetheorganizations.
Inthatway,theyfeellistenedto,trustedandacknowledged,whichisanimportantpartforthesenseofwell-being.
Butthestructureshouldnotbetoodemocratic,becausethenthevolunteersmightbeforcedtotakeonmoreresponsibilitythantheyarereadyfor,insteadoffocusingondoingthejobtheycametherefor.
Tocreateanidealworkenvironmentforthevolunteers,theleadersareoftenforcedtohiresomeprofessionalworkers.
Theyusuallydealwiththeadministrativepartoftheassignmentsandtakeonmoreresponsibility,sothevolunteersarefreefromit.
Theleadershavemoreconcreteoptionstoincreasethevolunteers'senseofwell-being.
Theycanusesystematicmethodsandmoreindividualizedmethodsthatcontributetothevolunteers'well-being.
Mostcommonoptionstoincreasethesenseofwell-beingseemtobesystematicinformsofeducationandcreationofsocialnetworks.
MoreAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200857individualized,leaderscanmakeanefforttoappreciateandrecognizeeachvolunteerfortheirwork.
Thatrequiresthattheleaderslookatthevolunteergroupasagroupofindividuals.
Accordingtotheresults,thesenseofwell-beingisachievedifthevolunteersfeelacknowledgedandiftheyfeelappreciatedfortheirinputs.
5.
2.
RelevancefromtheleadersperspectiveInordertoseetherelevanceforthoseresults,itisnecessarytolookatwhythevolunteers'well-beingisrelevantfortheorganizations.
Theansweris,thatwithoutthevolunteersthevoluntaryorganizationscannotsurvive.
Ithasbeenrecognized,thatvoluntaryworkisinsomewaysegoistic.
Theresearchresultshow,thatbyhelpingothersviavoluntarywork,thevolunteershelpthemselvesinaway.
Thatisapartofthewell-being,andifthisoptimalprocessisnotachievedthevolunteerswilleventuallyburnout.
Theleadershaveto"pay"thevolunteerswithsomethingelsethenmoneyandshouldthereforebuildthemanagementuponmotivationthatisrewardingforthevolunteers.
Iftheleadersarenotdoingagoodjob,thereisnothingholdingontothevolunteerstokeeponvolunteeringandeventuallytheyarelikelytoleave.
Thatiswhyitisvitalfortheleaderstobeconcernedaboutthevolunteers'well-beingandtrytoincreaseit.
Byfocusingonvolunteers'well-being,theleadersmightpreventlackofvolunteers.
Whentheorganizationsarepopularandhavegoodreputations,theygetmorerequestsfrompotentialvolunteers.
Soiftheleaderstrytoholdontothepopularity,itgetseasierforthemtorecruitnewvolunteers.
Itisacommonknowledgethatabadreputationspreadsoutalotfasterthanagoodone,andoftenthevolunteersaretheonestomakethereputation.
Therefore,ifthevolunteersachieveasenseofwell-beingviatheirvoluntarywork,itcanbothhelptorecruitmorevolunteersandhelptheorganizationstoholdontotheirexistingvolunteers.
5.
3.
ProcessmodelInrelationtotheresearchresults,Icreatedasimpleprocessmodelthatcanbeusefulforleadersofvoluntaryorganizations:AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200858Themodelconsistsoffourkeywords;motivation,acknowledgement,well-beingandvoluntaryworkforce.
Theprocedurecanbedescribedbrieflyinafollowingway:a.
Volunteer'smotivationThevolunteerfeelsmotivatedtodovoluntaryworkandseeksvoluntaryworkatavoluntaryorganization.
b.
AcknowledgementfromtheorganizationAftertherecruitmentprocess,theorganizationfocusesonacknowledgingthevolunteer'sinputindifferentways.
c.
Volunteerachievesasenseofwell-beingTheacknowledgementleadstoasenseofwell-beingthatgivesthevolunteerareasontocontinuethevoluntarywork.
d.
ContinuanceofvoluntaryworkforceFortheorganization,theprocessresultsinacontinuanceofvoluntaryworkforce.
5.
4.
ContinuanceoftheresearchTheresearchproblemcould,withoutadoubt,beapproachedinotherways.
ItispossiblethattheresultswouldhavebeendifferentifIhadusedothermethods,theories,MotivationAcknowledgementWell-beingVoluntaryworkforceVolunteerOrganizationRecruitmentAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200859orparticipants,butthatdoesnotchangetheimportanceoftheresultsofthisproject.
Everythingcanbeexaminedfrommorethanonepointofviewanditwouldhavebeenimpossibletousemoreperspectivesinthisprojectbecauseofthesizeofit.
Ibelievethatitispossibletocontinuewiththisresearchproblemandmakefurtherinvestigationsinthisresearcharea.
Itcouldforexamplebeinterestingtoapproachtheresearchproblembyusingotherperspectivesandbuildtheprojectupinadifferentway.
Anotherperspectivecouldinvolvequantitativeresearchmethods,orinvestigatingtheresearchproblemfromthevolunteers'pointofview.
5.
5.
FinalwordsInthisessay,Ihavedealtwithatwofoldresearchproblem.
OnonehandIhaveexaminedwhatleadersofvoluntaryorganizationscandotomaketheorganizationsfunctionoptimally,andontheotherhandIhavedealtwiththeimportanceofvolunteers'senseofwell-beingandwhatleaderscandotoincreaseit.
Theresultsfromtheresearchshowthatleadersseemtorealizetheimportanceofthis,andthereseemstobeaneffortmadetoholdontothevoluntaryworkforce.
Itisimportantfororganizationsthatrelyonvoluntaryworkforce,tomaketheworkplaceattractiveandtomaketheworkrewardingforallpartners.
Theleadershavemultipletasksinordertoincreasethevolunteers'senseofwell-being,andtheresultsshowedthatthereisafocusonthevolunteers'well-being.
However,thereisalwaysroomforimprovements,andIhopethatthisprojectwillhelpleaderstomaintainthefocusontheimportanceofvolunteers'well-being,andraiseadebateabouttheleaders'functionsinrelationtothis.
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AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200864PicturesPic.
1:GraduateStudentLifeHandbookattheUniversityofMaryland.
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Foundonthe07.
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union.
umd.
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html)AalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200865Attachment1InterviewguideforleadersLeaderroleHvadsynesduerdinrollesomlederiforholdtildefrivilligeOrganisationalcultureHvaderdetmestkarakteristiskevedjeresorganisationskulturIhvorhjgradtrorduatdererenfllesopfattelseaforganisationensopgaverogprioriteterHvisikke,hvordanklarerIkonfliktsituationerBetragtesdenyefrivilligesominspirationskildertiludviklingellerforventesdeattilpassesigforatbliveaccepteretFindesderenformeljobbeskrivelsefordefrivilligesarbejdeHolderIfastijeresorganisationskultur,ellersynesIatdenskaludviklesisamarbejdemedjeresmedarbejdere,bdenyeoggamleGrIefterenspecialtypeaffrivilligenrIskaltilatfindeflereHvilkekvalifikationerskaldehaveHarIenoplringsprocess,hvordanfungererdetHvaderdetvigtigsteelementijeresideologiiforholdtiljeresmedarbejdereBrerjeresorganisationprgafatmangeafjeresmedarbejdereharenforskelligkulturalbaggrundHarIproblemermedatintegrerefolkmedforskelligkulturalbaggrundHvordanfungererorganisationenisammenhngmeddensomgivelserErdenaktiv,ledendeellerdominerende,ellerpassivogtilpasmeddensomgivelserFokclienterIpfortiden,nutidenellerfremtidenHvordanhandlerorganisationengeneraltikonfliktsitutioneriforholdtildefrivilligeWell-beingTrorduatdeterenrelationmellematlavefrivilligtarbejdeogvelfrdTrorduatdefrivilligelaverfrivilligtarbejdetilatdeselvskalhavedetbedreHvadkandergrestilatplejedefrivilligevelfrdBdevisuelt(belnningssystems)ogdemindrevisuelt(klappskulderen)Erdetvigtigt,athaveforedragogkurserforatplejedefrivilligeHvormegettrordu,atkomplimenteroganerkendelseafdefrivilligesgodearbejdeervrdMotivationHarIenslagspolitiktilatmotiveredefrivilligetilatforsttemedatarbejdehosjerHvisja,hvaderdenErdetnogetIsyneskunnegresbedreAalborgUniversityVolunteersandwell-beingAugust200866HvadtrorIaterjeresfrivilligesmotivationforatarbejdehosjerHarienslagsbelnningssystemerforatgivedefrivilligeenflelseafatvretilgavnWorkplace,workenviromentandsocialintegrationGrInoget,tilatgrearbejdsstedetmereatraktivtfornyefrivillige(erdetvarmt,hjemmeligt.
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