Employer-supported volunteering benefits: gift exchange among employers, employees, and volunteer organizations

Jonathan E. Booth, Kyoung Park and Theresa M. Glomb

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: Using gift exchange theory to explain the growing trend of employers offering employer-supported volunteering (ESV) benefits, this article discusses the creation of exchange relationships between the employer and employee and between the volunteer organization and employee. Hypotheses derived from the employee's perspective are tested with a nationally representative sample of volunteers (n=3,658). Findings suggest that ESV benefits are positively related to hours volunteered by the employee. Volunteer hours predict employee perceptions of skill acquisition, and such perceptions are positively related to perceptions of job success and employer recognition. We discuss the implications of these findings for business, employees, and volunteer organizations, with an emphasis on human resource management policy and practice.

Keywords: employer-supported volunteering; employer-supported volunteer programs; volunteer; nonprofit; human capital; socioeconomic achievement; compensation and benefits; training and development; strategic HR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J01 R14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-03
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

Published in Human Resource Management, March, 2009, 48(2), pp. 227-249. ISSN: 0090-4848

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:30020

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