SEARCHANDRESCUEVOLUNTEERMOTIVATIONANDRETENTIONSURVEY

BCSARASearchandRescue

Motivation

§ WhydopeoplejoinandremainwithSAR?

VolunteerFunctionalMotivationInventory§ Values

ú Volunteeringallowspeopletodemonstrateconcernforothers.

§ Understandingú permitsnewlearningexperiencesandthechancetoexercise

knowledge,skills,andabilities.

§ Socialú volunteeringoffersopportunitiestobewithone'sfriendsorto

engageinanactivityviewedfavorablybyimportantothers.

§ EgoProtectionú protectingtheegofromnegativefeelings,reduceguilt,oraddress

one'sownpersonalproblems.

§ EgoEnhancementú volunteeringasameansofmaintainingorenhancingpositive

emotions.(Claryetal.1998)

VolunteerFunctionalMotivationInventory

HighResponseGroups=Groupswithmorethan10surveyresponsesScale1=stronglydisagree;5=stronglyagree

VFMI AllGroups

HighResponseGroups

Values 4.40 4.43

Understanding 4.20 4.21

Social 3.21 3.19

EgoProtection 3.32 3.32

EgoEnhancement 3.92 3.92

Retention

§ IntenttoQuitú ThelikelihoodthatapersonwillleavetheirSARteaminthenearfuture(3-6months)

All Groups HighResponseGroups

IntenttoQuit 1.63 1.64

Scale1=veryunlikely;5=verylikely

Motivationà Retention?

VFMI• Values

• Understanding• Social

• Protection• Enhancement

IntenttoQuit

Nodirectrelationshipfound

Yea,But (ControlVariables)All Groups High

ResponseGroups

Age(years) 43.9 44.8

SAR Experience(years) 7.9 7.8

SAROperations(pastyear)

11.6 10.5

Gender 74%M26% F

73%M23%F

GroupCall-Outs(2015) 28.7 29.2

Not Found(2015) 2.6 3.1*

Deaths(2015) 2.7 3.1*

*=Significantlydifferentfromtheaverageforgroupswithlowerresponses

Controlsà Retention?

Yea,But• Age

• SARExperience• SAROperations

• Gender•GroupCall-Outs

• NotFound• Deaths

IntenttoQuit+

+

Whatpredictsretention?OrganizationalFactors§ PerceivedOrganizationalSupport

ú Amember’sgeneralizedperceptionregardingtheextenttowhichtheSARgroupvaluestheircontributionsandcaresabouttheirwell-being(Kurtessisetal.,2015).

§ LeadershipAutonomyú MemberperceptionsaboutautonomyprovidedbySARmanagers

(Williams&Deci,1998)Ex:MySARgroupmanagersgiveitsmemberschoicesandoptions

Whatpredictsretention?IndividualFactors§ GeneralAttitude

ú Amember’sgeneralizedaffective-cognitiveperceptiontowardSARactivities

§ EngagementAmorepersistentandpervasiveaffective-cognitivestatethatisnotfocusedonanyparticularobject,event,individual,orbehavior.(Schaufeli,etal.,2006)ú Vigor ischaracterizedbyhighlevelsofenergyandmental

resilienceandpersistenceeveninthefaceofdifficulties.ú Dedication referstobeingstronglyinvolvedinone’sworkand

experiencingasenseofsignificance,enthusiasm,inspiration,pride,andchallenge.

ú Absorption ischaracterizedbybeingfullyconcentratedandhappilyengrossedinone’swork,wherebytimepassesquickly.

PredictorVariablesAll Groups High

ResponsePerceivedOrganizationalSupport

4.16 4.13

LeadershipAutonomy 3.90 3.87

GeneralAttitude 4.22 4.23

Engagement –Vigour

3.84 3.83

Engagement–Dedication

4.43 4.45

Engagement–Absorption

3.69 3.92

Motivationà Retention:FullModelVFMI

• Values• Understanding

• Social• Protection

• Enhancement IntenttoQuit

Engagement• Vigour

• Dedication• Absorption

GeneralPositiveAttitude

PerceivedSupport

LeadershipAutonomy

AgeGender(F)

+++

+

+

++ -

-

-

Deaths

+

SARExperience

-

Whatcangroupsdo?

§ Measurethelevelofleadershipautonomy,perceivedsupport,andgeneralattitudeamongmembersú Youcan’tmanagewhatyoudon’tmeasureú Takestepswherepossibletoincreaseautonomy,perceivedsupport,andegoenhancement  Givemembersappropriatechoicesandoptionswherepossible

  Increasefeelingsofcontrolandchoice  Makepeoplefeelthattheircontributionisvalued  Explainreasonsfortaskassignmentandconnecttooverallscopeofthesearch

  Findwaysformemberstoconnecttopositivesearchoutcomes

Whatcangroupsdo?

§ Usemeasuresforselectionú SelectmemberswhojoinSARforreasonsrelatedtoknowledgeandvalues  UseVFMIasaselectiontool

ú UseLifeOrientationTooltoselectforhigherlevelsofoptimisticoutlookamongapplicants  GeneralAttitudeispartiallyshapedbyaperson’sgeneralorientationtowardlife.Optimisticpeopletendtohavemorepositiveattitudes.

  Alsohelpsincreaseperceivedsupport,dedicationengagement,andegoenhancement