Motivation: Difference Between Volunteers And Employees

Motivation is vital to any organization. Dr. Beckwith (2016) describes motivation as, “a desire to achieve a goal, combined with the energy to work towards that goal.” In other words, motivation is the ability to harness a person’s internal drive to accomplish set goals. Volunteers and employees share common motivational needs, such as a desire to be recognized, feel appreciated, and engage in satisfying work. The difference between volunteers and employees is manifested in how the shared motivational needs are fulfilled. Volunteers, like employees, desire to be properly recognized for their achievements. Unlike employees, who may expect a raise or a promotion, volunteers expect other forms of recognition, such as a gift card or an award. Volunteers understand working for a non-profit entail that extra money can be scarce. As a result, volunteers are not driven by monetary gain for their achievements. Volunteers are motivated by a deep desire to achieve for the betterment of the non-profit. Dr. Jim McCorkle (2011) asserts, “Intrinsic motivation must be present if people are to do their best.” The basis of McCorkle’s assertion is that volunteers must be driven internally to accomplish the organization’s goals. Because non-profits cannot afford to recognize top performers

Chapman and White (2012) assert, “64 percent of Americans who leave their jobs say they do so because they don’t feel appreciated” (p. 15). The lack of feeling appreciated is the driving force for a majority of workers to seek other employment. Chapman and White cites a Gallup poll, “almost 70 percent of the people in the United States say they receive no praise or recognition in the workplace” (2012, p. 34). This statistic underscores the need to be appreciated, as well as the importance of communicating appreciation to team members, regardless whether the team member is a volunteer or paid