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Attitude Differences Between Paid Workers and Volunteers.
Abstract
This study addresses the extension of research on paid employees to volunteer workers. Pearce (1978, 1993b) has postulated that job attitudes are substantially different between volunteers and paid employees, based on her work studying fourteen organizations employing either entirely volunteer workgroups or entirely paid workgroups. Another interpretation of her data would be that the organizational culture of such workgroups is different, not the individual job attitudes. A survey of paid and volunteer workers in similar jobs in a single hospital setting was used to assess their job attitudes along the dimensions of the psychological contract, organizational commitment, and organizational justice. The psychological contract was substantially similar between paid employees and volunteers, with the exception of psychological contracts regarding benefits. In addition, organizational commitment and organizational justice were substantially similar between paid employees and volunteers, with the exception of the continuance dimension of organizational commitment. This similarity of job attitudes among volunteers and paid employees was found after controlling for age, gender ethnicity, income, holding a volunteer job in addition to this position, and holding a paid job in addition to this position. These findings may not be generalizable beyond a highly structured volunteer setting such as a hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Journal
(2001)
vol11
no4
pages423
Categories
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Volunteers
