Understanding What Motivates (and De-motivates) Ministry Employees  

 

People work for ministries for a variety of reasons, but most will fall into one of three very general “motivational” categories (although these categories can overlap to some degree).  Understanding why your employees work for you is a big step toward understanding what motivates them and, of course, toward keeping them motivated.  

      

Here is an overview of three possible categories along with a few specific “motivational tips” for each group.   Although they are specifically applicable to employees of ministries, similar principles can also apply to other workplace settings.

 

“The Servant”

The first category is those who serve with your specific organization out of a deep sense of calling.  For them, their job is their ministry and if they could, many of them would do (or have done) what they are doing for free.  The fact that they get a paycheck for what they do is simply icing on the cake.   They are amongst the most highly motivated and committed employees you will ever find.  This group has a whole-hearted commitment to the vision of the organization and an extremely high level of “ownership.”  

 

The benefits with this group are obvious and they will stay motivated and continue to go far above and beyond the call of duty as long as they have a continued sense of calling and believe in the vision and leadership of the organization.  Although a great number of leaders will fall into this group, many in support positions fall into this category as well.  It is not the level of the position that is important to them, but the level of calling and sense of “belonging” to the organization.

 

Motivational Tips: 

• Be straight and communicate, communicate, communicate.  Since they have a high level ownership—they want to be “in the know” and feel like they are a part off the inner workings of the organization.    Once trust is broken it is not easily re-established with this group, so it is worth the effort to over communicate on the front end to avoid misunderstandings later.
• Don’t take advantage of their willingness to go above and beyond, but do show that you recognize and appreciate their willingness to do so.  Encourage them toward balance in their lives so they don’t burn out.
• Regularly affirm that their contributions are valuable. 
• Don’t make promises you can’t keep and don’t give them the impression they have a voice when and where they don’t.  Do proactively look for places where they can offer feedback and contribute ideas that will be seriously considered.

 

“The Tent-Maker”

The second group is every bit as committed to Jesus, but their position with your organization is more a matter of “tent-making”  than their primary ministry.  They probably need to work for financial reasons and have skills and abilities that they would like to put to use within an organization that honors God and advances His kingdom–but their actual job is not necessarily their primary ministry.  They may have significant gifts and callings (and commitments) that fall outside of their service to their employer.   This group will usually demonstrate a significant level of integrity and a strong commitment to fulfill their responsibilities in a way that honors the Lord, but their commitment to the organization itself will usually not be nearly as strong as for those in the first group.

 

This group is also motivated by a sense of calling but it is an overall sense of calling to the purposes of God and not necessarily specific to your ministry. They will work hard and contribute significantly as long as they feel it is where God wants them to be and they are not hindered or discouraged from fulfilling outside commitments.  They will seek to fulfill their responsibilities with excellence and diligence, but will quickly draw a line if demands become unreasonable. Since this group tends to assume less personal “ownership” for the organization itself, they can usually maintain a “big-picture” perspective and withstand some bumps and organizational shake-ups along the way without taking things too personally.

 

Motivational Tips:

• Don’t expect them to consistently work more hours than they agreed to when hired—wherever possible allow them the balance necessary to pursue outside commitments.
• Don’t imply that their level of spiritual commitment is somehow less because they do not have as high a degree of ownership in your organization as others might have; but whenever possible, do look for ways to incorporate their passions and outside ministry interests within your organization.
• Recognize them based on the performance their job duties and not on the basis of personal involvement with the ministry.

      

“The Employee” 

The third and final group consists of those who work for you as much by default as by design.  You had a job available and they needed a job.  While they may be sincere believers who enjoy the thought of working for a ministry, their faith is often more on the peripheral of their lives than at the center.  They may have an understanding that perhaps God placed them in their position and they may even be seeking a deeper spiritual connection, but their primary motivation is doing work they enjoy in a good work environment and, of course,  a paycheck.

 

This group, for the most part, is simply performing a job.  They consider themselves your employee—not a co-laborer—and they want to be treated appropriately and fairly as an employee.  They may have a great work ethic, do their job very well and perform a vital function for your organization, but how long they stay will be directly dependent upon how well you meet their needs.  They may also have unrealistic and romanticized expectations about what working in a Christian work environment will be like—often they are expecting more of you than they would from a secular employer—and their experience with your organization can be very pivotal in either strengthening or weakening their faith.    

 

Motivational Tips

• Clearly communicate specific expectations of the job and acceptable standards of behavior.
• Provide opportunities for spiritual growth (e.g. participation in staff devotions) but be careful about “requiring” anything that isn’t job specific or a legitimate requirement for all employees.
• Frequently recognize outstanding performance.  Express gratitude, and where possible and appropriate, provide rewards for going above and beyond—don’t take it for granted or act like it is expected.
• Have an employee handbook with clear and consistent guidelines that apply to all employees (this is an important tip for all categories!)

 

Again, these are very generalized categories and since people are unique, certainly not everyone will fit neatly into one particular category.   It should come as no surprise, however, that most senior leaders within a ministry—particularly within smaller organizations—do fit into the first category.  Even so one of the biggest mistakes leaders can make is to assume that everyone who works for their organization should be similarly motivated.  While a specific calling is certainly necessary for some ministry positions, it is not required for all.   God likes variety—and He meets an organization’s staffing needs in a variety of different ways.  Employees in each of these categories have the potential to make valuable and lasting contributions to your ministry.  Recognizing what may have motivated an individual to accept a position with your organization in the first place is a great step toward keeping them motivated in the future!