Lessons from Volunteers: Enhancing Innovation Managers’ Retention

This paper investigates the impact of the innovation funnel on workforce motivation, focusing on innovation managers who often face low retention rates due to the funnel’s inherent dynamics. While numerous projects are initiated, few succeed, creating a precarious career path where even a single failure can jeopardize a manager's position. Despite support measures, such as additional resources, specific software and executive backing, these efforts have not sufficiently addressed the underlying challenges. Our research highlights the pivotal role of intrinsic motivation in the long-term success and retention of innovation managers. Drawing from strategies in the volunteering sector, where motivation is predominantly intrinsic, we conducted qualitative interviews with Australian volunteers in 2024 to identify transferable practices. These insights were adapted into actionable measures for sustaining innovation managers’ motivation and enhancing retention. Our findings provide a novel perspective from a different angle and offer practical recommendations for organizations to better support their innovation-workforce.