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Corporate-Sponsored Volunteering: A Work Design Perspective

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Abstract

This study explored employee perceptions of participation in a corporate-sponsored volunteer initiative. Drawing on both questionnaire and focus group data, this study reaffirms the importance of altruistic concerns as a key driver for employee involvement in corporate- sponsored volunteering. Characteristics of the volunteering activity also emerged as important determinants of employee’s initial engagement and ongoing motivation for involvement in corporate-sponsored volunteering. In the same way that models of work design point to the value of enriched jobs, we see that there is scope to consider how corporate-sponsored volunteer programmes can be enriched so that employees have satisfying experiences and are more likely to participate. Enhancing perceptions of task significance and meaningfulness and incorporating relational elements into the volunteer activity seem to be especially critical in this regard.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, College of Business, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand

    Karl Pajo & Louise Lee

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  1. Karl Pajo
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  2. Louise Lee
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Correspondence to Karl Pajo.

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Pajo, K., Lee, L. Corporate-Sponsored Volunteering: A Work Design Perspective. J Bus Ethics 99, 467–482 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0665-0

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