Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the applicability of the Job Characteristics Model in volunteer organizations and to assess the potential of redesigning certain types of volunteer tasks. The second goal of this project was to understand whether the way volunteers perceive the design of their volunteer work has an impact on their motivation, satisfaction and performance. Motivation was assessed using self-determination theory's concept of autonomous motivation. The link between these variables was assessed with data gathered in two questionnaires. First, 143 volunteers reported their motivation, satisfaction and intent to leave the organization. Volunteers were also asked about their perception of the characteristics of the tasks they perform. Second, the supervisors of respondents were asked to rate their performance and their organizational citizenship behaviours, so that a preliminary definition of the concept of volunteer performance was tested. Results showed that job design can be a useful tool in increasing volunteers' autonomous motivation, satisfaction and in-role performance. In fact, support was found for the hypothesis that job characteristics influence these outcomes, and that autonomous motivation influences satisfaction. In addition, it was shown that autonomous motivation is a mediator in the relationship between job characteristics and satisfaction. Finally, contradictory findings make it currently impossible to validate the proposed theory of volunteer performance without further research. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.