Motivations, concerns, and expectations of Scandinavian health professionals volunteering for humanitarian assignments.
International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) involved in humanitarian assistance employ millions of volunteers. One of the major challenges for the organizations is the high turnover rate among their personnel. Another is recruiting the right persons. As part of a series of studies investigating factors that affect the recruitment process and the success of assignment, this qualitative study examined health professionals' motivations for volunteering, their various concerns, and their expectations about themselves and the organizations for which they would work. The findings from focus group interviews with potential humanitarian volunteers were considered within the framework of Hertzberg's theory of motivations and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The study has significant implications for personnel policy and practice in the humanitarian sector. Recruitment officers should have the self-actualized person, as described by Maslow, in mind when interviewing candidates. This perspective would make it easier for them to understand the candidates' thoughts and concerns and would lead to more effective interventions. Program officers should have satisfiers and dissatisfiers, as identified by Herzberg, in mind when planning programs. The probability that personnel will leave humanitarian work is lower if they perceive working conditions as good.
Centre for Public Health in Humanitarian Assistance (PHHA), International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH), Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala, Sweden. Magdalena.Bjerneld@kbh.uu.se
Magdalena
M
Bjerneld
Gunilla
G
Lindmark
Lucia Ann
LA
McSpadden
Martha J
MJ
Garrett
D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology; D009938:Organizations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012066:Relief Work; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012649:Self Concept; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*