Beyond Public Service: Analysis of Volunteering by Employees of Federal Higher Education Institutions

Abstract The increasing demand for socially responsible actions by organizations emphasizes the importance of activities such as volunteer work, which is a valuable resource in tackling major social challenges worldwide. In the business sector, this activity is known as corporate volunteering and adds complexity to the phenomenon, as it involves aspects related to the organizational environment. The willingness of organizations across the three social sectors to encourage such practices raises challenges for their wider adoption. Specifically, within public service, contextual factors may differ from those in the private sector, such as the need for legal compliance, the lack of organizational pressure to gain benefits from volunteering, and issues related to public careers that could influence voluntary participation in initiatives promoted by institutions. Therefore, the present study aims to examine how contextual and motivational factors influence employees of Federal Higher Education Institutions (IFES) to engage in volunteering. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative data gathered through a questionnaire with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that the motivations of public servants in Higher Education Institutions are shaped by a combination of altruistic, social justice, affiliative, learning, and self-interested factors, with altruism and social justice being particularly significant for the population studied. Additionally, regarding contextual factors, elements such as organizational citizenship, institutional and co-worker support, and the potential to make a social impact may motivate them to volunteer.