Managing the Volunteer Workforce: Flexible Structures and Strategies to Integrate Volunteers and Paid Workers
Funded by: ARC APAI Linkage Grant

Volunteers play a vital role in many service-oriented organisations. This project developed an innovative framework to help organisations develop flexible and appropriate structures and strategies for the management of volunteer and paid workforces.

The approach drew upon Atkinson's (1984) "Flexible Firm" concept. A flexibility model was applied to the relationship between volunteers and the broader workforce. The project aims were to:

• understand, conceptualise and evaluate the roles, functions and structure of volunteer groups within paid workforces;
• investigate how positive relationships, training, effective communication and flexibility can enhance the contribution of volunteers in the workforce, and
• propose mechanisms that can improve the deployment of human capital within larger service-oriented organisations such as the National Museum of Australia and Museum of Victoria.

This project was conducted in conjunction with the Melbourne Museum and the National Museum of Australia. PhD candidate Leonie Lockstone submitted and passed her PhD in 2004 and has made several presentations to industry partners.