How mindfulness can help keep volunteers engaged and less likely to leave non-profits

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Research in the International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development has looked at how mindfulness can play a role in keeping volunteers engaged and less likely to leave their roles in non-profit organizations.

The research looks at the notion of job embeddedness and uncovers several ways in which mindfulness helps strengthen the connection between individuals and their voluntary work. The findings could help these organizations and perhaps commercial concerns develop better strategies to reduce staff turnover.

Luc Phan Tan of Thu Dau Mot University, Binh Duong and Lan Pham Xuan of the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, explain that mindfulness is a mental practice that involves one paying close attention to the present moment and the present activity. It involves avoiding distracting thoughts about the past or the future or other activities while involved in the given activity.

They add that there are three aspects to job embeddedness: fit, which refers to how well an individual’s skills and values match their role; links, which means the social connections they form at work; and sacrifice, which represents what they might lose if the person were to leave their position.

The team found that mindfulness positively influences all three dimensions of job embeddedness. However, it was only the surveyed volunteers’ sense of “fit” that was associated with their intention to leave.

It is obvious, but worth noting, that volunteers are not bound by the financial incentives that employees have. Their commitment to a role has to derive from a sense of personal fulfillment, altruism, and purpose. As such, volunteers are often less tightly bound to their role than a company employee might be. For non-profits that obviously depend heavily on volunteer labor, this freedom can lead to high turnover rates.

The concept of mindfulness might help volunteers and an organization foster a greater sense of connection that might reduce turnover if successful in its goals. While the study focuses on volunteer workers, it could be applicable to paid employees in any sector that suffers from high staff turnover.