It is a misconception that great employees are only motivated by money, especially those who feel called to ministry. There are many non-monetary ways to help build a happy and healthy ministry team. By non-monetary, we mean beyond the paycheck.
1. Babysitting Stipend – One of our clients provides a stipend to their church staff members for up to five hours of babysitting services each month. This allows your staff members the financial freedom to carve out at least a few hours each month for date nights. A healthy marriage makes for a healthy employee.
2. Gym Memberships – Proper rest and exercise are two of the hardest things for pastors to fit into their schedules. Make it as convenient as possible for your church staff to pursue regular exercise by paying for their gym memberships. Many local gyms will provide a discount for organizations purchasing memberships for their employees.
3. Weekly Meal – Set aside a weekly meal for your team to socialize and celebrate what God is doing through your team. If possible, enjoy the meal offsite to make it as comfortable and least work-related as possible. Choose a team member or two to highlight during these weekly meals.
4. Quarterly Events – Once a quarter, take your team offsite for a fun event. Depending on the personality of your team, you may go bowling or rent out a movie theater for a family film. In Spring and Summer, our team likes to play bocce ball together on Friday afternoons.
5. Cell Phone Stipend – Many churches expect their staff to be accessible 24/7. If that’s the case at your church, help take the stress off of your employees by paying their cell phone bill. Cell phone bills can be one of the highest expenses for ministry leaders whose job entails connecting with people, so paying for their cell phone helps lighten that load.
6. Updated Technology – If your budget allows, consider providing your team with laptops so their work is portable. This allows team members to be more flexible, and it inspires team collaboration. Even simple measures like updating your staff's computer operating systems goes a long way in showing your team you support them and want to equip them with tools to succeed.
7. Retirement Contributions – Several of our clients contribute to each staff member’s 403B or 401K in addition to their salary each month. This shows your church staff that you are thinking about their long-term financial health.
8. Medical Benefits – One of our clients covers 100% medical expenses for their church staff. This is especially helpful for staff members with large families. Another way to help your staff with medical expenses is to cover a portion of their deductable to keep insurance affordable for each family.
9. Education Allowance – Going back to school is expensive. Consider supporting your staff members as they pursue advanced degrees or continued education. Pay for your team to attend conferences todevelop their ministries and network with other pastors. This benefits your church as your team gains new knowledge and ideas to apply to your ministry.
10. PTO vs Sick Days – Consider providing employees with paid time off (PTO) as opposed to sick days. PTO allows employees a specific number of days off with freedom in how they use those days. They are free to use them for sick days or vacation days, as long as they stay within their PTO allotment.
Do you implement any of these non-monetary incentives on your church staff? What are some other non-monetary ways to help build a healthy church staff?