The Demand for Volunteer Labor: A Study of Hospital Volunteers

Abstract

The authors challenge the assumption that organizations are willing to use all the volunteer labor available to them. Rather, they are influenced by the costs incurred of utilizing volunteer labor. This article provides a modest first look at the demand for volunteers by nonprofit institutions. Specifically, the article presents an economic analysis of the demand of volunteer labor by hospitals in the Toronto area and examines some of the factors that may determine the hospitals’ willingness to use volunteer labor. Using data generated from 28 hospitals in Toronto, which use a total of more than 2 million volunteer hr per year, the authors show that the quantity of volunteer hours demanded is a decreasing function of their costs. Other factors such as productivity, output, and labor market institutions also influence the demand for volunteers.

The volunteer matrix: positioning of volunteer organizations

“…Handy and Srinivasan (2005) demonstrated that not all organizations want to have all the potential volunteers, due to concern of costs and fit. Although volunteering is perceived as ''free labor'' and ''zero wages'', they are still costly to the organizations, in terms of money, time, and human resources.…”

The Interchangeability of Paid Staff and Volunteers in Nonprofit Organizations

“…The economics of choosing between paid labor and volunteers is complex, as indicated in the research by Handy and Srinivasan (2005) in the context of hospitals in Canada. Their research indicated that the quantity of volunteer labor used by hospitals is a decreasing function of their costs, productivity, and output.…”

Humanização e voluntariado: estudo qualitativo em hospitais públicos

“…These data indicate that the volunteer activity is not a prerogative of individuals with a higher socioeconomic status anymore, 2,4 and that there is a broad scope of possible motivations for volunteering. 1 Additionally, the fact that 66% of the interviewed volunteers take part in paid activities suggests a change in the traditionally described profi le, according to which volunteers would consider volunteering as a way to be busy.…”

“…At times, employees have negative reactions to volunteering, 4 fearing to be replaced by volunteers.…”