Survey Says…
PMI Volunteers Satisfied… Experienced… and Will Volunteer Again
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satisfaction survey was the first ported the PMI Strategic Plan (85 per- activities. Most of the support involved
since 2006. cent) and their role was meaningful and access to their employers’ resources.
Invitations to participate in the 2009 personally valuable (85 percent). Few were reimbursed for travel and/or
survey were sent to 3,224 volunteers. More than two-thirds of volunteers other expenses.
The net response rate was a good 23 are extremely or very interested in serv- Half of the surveyed volunteers
percent with a margin of sampling error ing in a volunteer capacity again (72 spent less than 10 hours a month per-of ± 3. 3 percent. A total of 670 volunteers percent), and most would consider forming volunteer activities. In earlier
qualified for the full survey. becoming a chapter, specific interest surveys, significantly more volunteer
The majority of respondents were group or college officer as their volun- leaders reported spending over 20
community volunteers (68 percent), teer role (65 percent). Over three out of hours a month on volunteer activities
and more than four out of every five five existing community officers said (30 percent).
assumed a leadership role (86 percent). they would choose the same volunteer
Volunteers’ Experience
More than four out of five respondents role in the future.
and Longevity
also expressed overall satisfaction with Just over half of the volunteers
Virtually all volunteers participating in
their experience in 2008, with 39 percent received some type of support from
the survey are PMI members, and have
of those surveyed rating their experi- their employers for their volunteer
been for an average of eight
ence as very satisfactory.
years. The large majority of
Benefits Realized
respondents are repeat vol-
and Goals Met
unteers. More than half of
Of course, volunteers are respondents have held two,
not motivated exclusively three or even four volunteer
by altruistic reasons. positions related to PMI
Nearly all the survey activities in the last five
respondents (94 percent) years (including 2008).
said they also expect to The vast majority of PMI
build reputations, networks volunteers also volunteer in
and long-term relationships. other areas, primarily for
Additionally, they expect to their communities and other
enhance professional (90 professional organizations.
percent) and personal (88 More than two out of five
percent) growth and devel- respondents work in project,
opment. Other expectations portfolio or program man-
include earning professional agement in a for-profit cor-
development units toward poration. The large majority
maintaining PMI profes- (87 percent) hold the Project
sional credentials, develop- Management Professional
ing a unique skill and earn- (PMP)® credential, and have
ing prestige. held their certification for an
The large majority average of six years.
reached these goals through Compared to previous
volunteering in 2008. Addi- surveys, a smaller number of
tionally, more than three out volunteers in this survey
of four volunteers indicated said that one goal they met
there was enough time for through volunteering was
them to network with other developing unique skill sets
people during their experi- needed to perform their vari-
ence as a volunteer. ous duties. PMI will be
Nearly nine out of 10 addressing that need, and
volunteers (88 percent) the efforts being taken will
agree that their contribu- be the subject of a PMI
tions were valued by the Today article to appear in
volunteer team. Nearly as the near future.
many said their group’s
work aligned with and sup-
