The Nature of the Psychological Contract (PC) Developed by Episodic and Traditional Volunteers and the Relationship Between PC to Intentions to Continue Volunteering

Abstract

Volunteers make a substantial contribution to sustaining communities at many levels in local to international organisations through a wide array of often complex activities (e.g. coaching children at a local sporting club, reading in school programs, and recreation activities for people with a disability). Without a vibrant volunteer sector, the quality of life enjoyed by most people living in developed countries may be substantially altered and/or they may have to pay considerably more to sustain their lifestyle. An area that has emerged as a key issue in both the paid and voluntary sector is Psychological Contract (PC) theory (Johnson & O’Leary-Kelly, 2003; Kim, Trail, Lim & Kim, 2009; Starnes, 2007; Rousseau, 1995). Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa (1986) described PC theory as a set of beliefs that individuals hold in relation to how organisations value the contribution individuals make to the organisation. PC theory further describes how organisations care about the well-being of individuals and how they meet their socio-emotional needs, how they provide an indication of the organisation’s readiness to reward increased work effort, and how they indicate their inclination to provide aid when needed so individuals can effectively carry out their jobs (Montes, Rousseau & Tomprou, 2015). Studies conducted in paid employment settings indicate that PCs develop between employees and their employers and play an important role in employee recruitment, performance, and retention (Robinson, 1996). To have a PC, a relationship between an individual and the organisation must exist, and the individual must have expectations about what they will receive from the organisation.