This month, I want to talk about the importance of a healthy staff culture. What are you currently doing to ensure that your team loves to work together? Is there a strategy in place for this? If not, allow me to encourage you to begin taking steps towards this with your team.
Every church has to decide what it wants their staff culture to look like. And, as the Executive Pastor, you have a lot of influence in this important conversation. For me, I want our staff to love coming to work… not only because they love their jobs, but because they love the people on our team. I want us to enjoy long lunches together, I want there to be laughter in the hallways, and I want there to be a relaxed atmosphere where people can let their guard down and be themselves.
When I first arrived at our church in 2018, this was not the case. Our team was… interesting… to say the least (I can share those details another time). But, through some very intentional efforts (and some overdue staff transitions), we were able to build a team of people who bring joy to the office with them every morning. Here are four things that we have found to be successful at our church: -
Open door policy: When I arrived at our church in 2018, most people worked with their door closed. That was one of the first things I changed. Closed doors communicate that you don’t want to bothered. Open doors communicate that you are available to your team. As a staff, be interruptible and keep your door open as much as possible. This simple change can have a big impact on your team.
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Monthly staff lunch: Enjoy a staff lunch together at least once per month, and pay for it with church dollars. This has proven to be a simple, yet effective way to get our staff together regularly and to build meaningful relationships with one another. And, the fact that it doesn’t cost anyone any money is also a blessing.
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Intentional staff outings: A few times each year, find time to go do something fun together as a staff during the work day. Last month, we took our team to Top Golf, and it was a blast. In the past, we have also gone bowling, gone to a minor league baseball game, and done escape rooms. And again, let the church pay for these things.
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Spend time together with staff families: A few times each year, try to get all of the staff families together. For example, at our church, we like to get everyone together for several pool parties during the summer months. We let the church buy the food and drinks, and our Lead Pastor lets everyone come over to his house for the pool party. This allows spouses and kids to enjoy the fun too.
Doing these things takes time, effort, and money. But, it’s worth it. Investing in your team is always worth it. If you are like me, one day you’ll look up and realize that your hard work has paid off, and you have a wonderful staff that loves to work together and serve Jesus together. And let me tell you… it’s such a blessing! |
