Leading Volunteers Through Disruptive Organizational Change

Abstract

A recent study conducted by Windon et al. has revealed a concerning decline of approximately 120% in volunteerism within nonprofit organizations. The U.S. Religion Census of 2012 reported that 25% of nonprofit organizations are religious congregations in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Christian organizational leaders (COLs) to adapt and lead their volunteers through an organizational crisis quickly. Unlike for-profit leaders who can depend on compensation to motivate their employees, nonprofit leaders must employ innovative leadership strategies to prevent burnout. This study explores how COLs handled the transition from in-person to virtual operations and highlights the best practices they used to motivate volunteers and avoid burnout among volunteers. The valuable insights shared by COLs in this study can be helpful for nonprofit leaders who aim to lead their volunteers effectively through crises and reduce volunteerism burnout.