TY - JOUR
T1 - Importance of organizational volunteer retention and communication with volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Windon, Suzanna
AU - Robotham, Daniel
AU - Echols, Ann
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Community Development Society.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - We used the online survey method to explore the relationship between the importance of volunteer retention during the COVID-19 pandemic and organizational volunteer communication practices among nonprofit organizations’ leaders of local communities. The target population for our study was 696 nonprofit organizational leaders. The response rate was 10.6%. Organizational volunteer communication practices explain 63% of the importance of organizational volunteer retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, organizations placed significant value on effective organizational communication practices, especially in developing trusting relationships with volunteers, encouraging free-flowing communication, and listening to volunteers. Outreach educators and volunteer administrators should educate local nonprofit leaders on effective communication practices during times of uncertainty. Organizations that depend heavily on volunteers must ensure that their leaders understand the importance of communication strategies and implement them effectively. For local community nonprofit leaders, organizational volunteer communication skills are even more crucial during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
AB - We used the online survey method to explore the relationship between the importance of volunteer retention during the COVID-19 pandemic and organizational volunteer communication practices among nonprofit organizations’ leaders of local communities. The target population for our study was 696 nonprofit organizational leaders. The response rate was 10.6%. Organizational volunteer communication practices explain 63% of the importance of organizational volunteer retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, organizations placed significant value on effective organizational communication practices, especially in developing trusting relationships with volunteers, encouraging free-flowing communication, and listening to volunteers. Outreach educators and volunteer administrators should educate local nonprofit leaders on effective communication practices during times of uncertainty. Organizations that depend heavily on volunteers must ensure that their leaders understand the importance of communication strategies and implement them effectively. For local community nonprofit leaders, organizational volunteer communication skills are even more crucial during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150503134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85150503134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15575330.2023.2186457
DO - 10.1080/15575330.2023.2186457
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85150503134
SN - 1557-5330
VL - 55
SP - 289
EP - 305
JO - Community Development
JF - Community Development
IS - 2
ER -