Signaling and Social Influence: The Impact of Corporate Volunteer Programs on Employee Work Behavior
Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Corporate volunteer programs serve the social agenda of the organizations that deploy them, and are important channels for delivering care and compassion to important causes and communities in need. However, the uptake of these programs by employees is surprisingly low. Little is known about the affective reactions of those who do not avail themselves of the programs offered. In this dissertation, I draw from research on work-life benefits, as well as theories of signaling and social influence, to examine the effects of corporate volunteer programs on the affect and behavior of both the employees who take part in the initiatives, as well as those who do not. In a pilot study, I find initial support for the positive synergies of multiple role engagement – specifically, that time spent on non-work-related activities has a significant positive effect on individuals’ perceptions of work-life enrichment, and this in turn relates positively to their engagement and personal initiative at work. This pre-test of measures and theoretical relationships provided a stepping stone for my primary dissertation project: a longitudinal field study at a large organization in the Northeast to examine the effects of its corporate volunteer program. Through surveys at two points in time, I find that even when employee participation in volunteering is low, such programs may nevertheless have a significant influence on employees’ work-related perceptions and behavior, as driven primarily by processes of social sharing. Workplace conversations around volunteering led to enhanced perceptions of organizational support for enrichment, increased interpersonal citizenship behaviors at work, and stronger future volunteer intentions, regardless of whether or not employees personally took part in the volunteer activity. These positive effects are most prominent when employees are in positions that afford the flexibility to join in such initiatives. Understanding the effects of social influence and the factors that moderate the impact of these corporate programs on employee outcomes is important as firms seek to provide a more enriching environment for their workforce.
Author: Yinyin Cao
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2975895877