Abstract .- Helping Those Who Help Others: The Necessity, Benefits, and Challenges Associated with Pro Bono Work W t a b l e , social welfare, and social advocacy mgankations play a key role in providing health and human services to those in need. The impact these organizations have on others, however, is mitigated to the extent that they do not operate optimally and hctimin a manner that promotes employee/voluntea health and well-being. Through pro b o n ~ work, we can positively impact these helping agendes. Doing pro bono work, however, has challenges. A sampb outreach program is discussed. Steven G. Rogelberg, PhD Julie A. Fuller, PhD Ao Steve G. ROgebl-g Steve Regelberg, P W , Associate Rrofes- sor, Psychology, d Adjunct Assdate Professor, Business & s n , is Dketor of the IEO PsychoIlo$y Pmgmq Uaivmity of North Carolina ChmIotte. His 40+ publications address 0 q p k t i B n a l research methods,tegta & , employee @-being, meetings at work,and OD. Honors inchde Chair of Education and Training for SIOP (2004ba,Psi Chi Professof of the Year Award, and a Master Teacher Award. He receivednearly $300,000 of external grants. Conbtcttnfmdbn S t e mG.Rogeibqg Jkpartment of Psychology University of North Carolina Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina 28223-0001 Email: [email protected]/edi Volume 22;g~umber4 Wnter 2004 mrd'ing to go^^ reparts,there are nearly ne million charitable, social w l b , and social advocacy o r g ~ t i o nins the United States (Rachiochi, 2001). These 11~nqimfit entities play a key rob in providing hdth armd hmmm services to those in need. Their inqxtanoe to ow society is unquestionable. Their substantive impact, however, is mitigated to the extent that they do not maximize resources, operate optimally, and *tin in a manner that promotes employee/volmteer health and well-being. Charitable, social welfare and social advocacy oqpkations experience many of the same types of organizational issues and challenges as profit-oriented businesses (Newman & Schleicher, 200 1). For develop, example, what are the best ways to d, motivate, lead, organize, and retain their employees1 volunteers? Unfortunately, these organizations often lack the expertise, personnel, and hmcial resources to address the issues themselves or to hire a consultant. The Necessity and Benefits of Pro Bono Work The notion of giving back to the community is a common plea among many professions. Physicians and attorneys, for example, typically see it as their obligation and duty to provide some type of outreach Organization Development Journal mrmm The First Challenge: lden~caflonof a Potential Recipient Most charitable, social w e b e , and social advocacy o@zations are unfamiliar with the type of work conducted by professionals in the areas of organizational development (OD), industrial-organizational(10) psycho& ogy, organizational behavior (OB), and human resource management 0, and as , a result would not necessarily think of asking us for help. On the other hand, an unsolicited contact (e.g., a telephone call) fiom us may be perceived as presumptuous and could even elicit suspicion toward our helping motives: "Why are these people calling? What do they want from me?" How to Identify a Recipient Organization: Networking is a good way to make a connection with a non-profit organization. Qne can inquire within groups of which they are a member, ask fiends and family for recommendations, talk to clinical and cowding fxulty at a university (they typically have connections to community agencies) and/or make contacts in non-profit regional umbrella organizations such as the United Way, the Jewish Federation, etc. Alternatively, one can send a letter to several non-profit organizations describing the services one would be willing to offer if ever needed. In addition, - one can contact the profasional societies that many non-profit m a n a g e d e ~ v e s join for their professional development, such as The Chronicle of Philanthropy, which provides a partid listing of M e o . The Second Challenge: Engenden'ng Psychological Commitment A second challenge is more subtle, as it is a psychological challenge. Client buy-in and commitment are critical ingredients to the successfbl &plementation of organizational interventions. For example, with buy-in a d commitment, the client is more lilqdy to persevere in the h e of the hvitable roadblocks and challenges associated with organizational development. Certajnly, giving m organization a consulting donation-"Here is a free service9'-will not create the deep-seated and genuine motivation necessary to make an organhtional improvement stick. Following are three examples of loosely related research that demonstrates the psychologiqal complexities of giving: When women or minorities perceive that they are selected into an organization on the basis of mything other than their ability (e.g., quotas), they are likely fo be low on organizational commitment and job satisfadion, and experience high levels of role stress (Chacko, 1982). The women and minorities who perceive such "tokenism" tend to feel stigmatized as "second class citizens in need of special remedies" (Chacko, 1982, p. 121). In relation to outreach, therefore, those who are selected without feeling that they somehow "earned" the help may be less committed to the intervention. ;Employees less invested in an organization (e.g., short job tenure) tend to have a weaket sense of organizational commitment than those with a grea- investment (Sheldon, 1971). Relatedly, participation in an activity, such as team decisbn-makhg,leach to greater buy-in and wmp$mce of tbe oubome of the activity (Bunker & Alban, 2W2). These hdings highlight the importance of involvement and investment on the part of the client recipients in order to engender commitment to the outreach process. Alth-m "egoktiay motivated helpers" expect targets of unsolicited - Forum ArClch C. , .. i~L&. 4 8 F, '4.., , .. 1. . .,.' ., .. i . - help to be thankhl and ap the assistance (Schroeder, Dovidio, & ~iiavin,1995, . .' recipient of help may or her cornpetexice in response to th2 offer of help. Nadler and Fisher (19!@ developed a Threat to Self-Esteem Model to describe how individ to help that they receive from others:"%&' model suggests that individuals wit4 '-"4'" awbpt help that one cannot reciprocate ' buld be threatening because it &diet$. k t h the salient nurm that one should be equitable in social relations" (Fisher," Wadler, & Whitcher-Alagaa, 1982, p? ' 40). In the context of outreach, therepoh, %is important to be sensitive to pre&' img the estam of the client recipient (e.gi7recognize what the client is wll), and assure recipients of work that there is w obligation td the favor (or that the best way-tarmiftoa t e is to continue to provi:&(he Mq&p~emntlyprowiag . .!I,.. .. -!* --I' ,. ,tt:tkh,~r>~ k 1. - .A> +T. .>. , '.I I, .I counterintuitive to the n d pro bono work, client of outreach are likely to f e d more invested and involved with the project if they pay a b h n , fee*>-.wa-., -, I , a -&frse stix-h- it is not ullcomnon for the
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