Does your church have an established HR process? A pattern we see in the healthiest and fastest-growing churches is the development of their HR department. All employees want to know that they are respected and that what they are doing is valuable. Here are five HR basics to help you establish HR principles at your church and build a healthy church staff.
1) Have a Formal Hiring Process - Do you have a system in place for how you communicate with potential candidates? Be sure there is a point of contact for candidates to receive information about the position and what the next steps are upon submitting their application. Determine how you decide which candidates you would like to move forward with and in what capacity. Which candidates would you like to phone screen and which would you like to meet in person? Have a system in place so that each candidate is evaluated by the same benchmarks and be sure to conduct thorough reference and background checks on candidates before you offer them the job.
2) Have a Written HR Policy - Having an HR policy is a sign of respect. It says, "We respect you enough to communicate to you what is expected of you and all employees," to potential hires. Share your HR procedures with high potential candidates to make sure they are the right cultural fit for your church staff. The last thing you want is your new team member to show up on the first day of work and be surprised by specific rules or regulations of which they were not aware.
3) Have an Review Process - If you don't have a formal review process, you are basically telling your employees that you have no expectations for their growth. LifeChurch.tv has established an effective review process that allows their church staff to receive feedback from their managers as well as their peers.
4) Recognize Good Employees - Recongnition doesn't have to monetary. Words of affirmation go a long way when an employee has poured their time and energy into a project or ministry. Everyone wants to be appreciated for their hard work. Simply stopping by an employees office, thanking them for their hard work, and talking to them about their success for five minutes goes much further than you would expect. Other low cost rewards include taking an employee out to lunch, including a $5 Starbucks gift card with a Thank You card or establishing a "Fun Friday" ritual for your church staff which may or may not include Nerf guns.
5) Create Room for Employee Growth - What a member of your church staff is interested in today might not necessarily be what they are interested in tomorrow. That's good! It means they are growing, learning, and developing. Don't force a member off your team because they are getting better. Place them in a role where they can flourish and help your team grow, even if it means you have to hire someone to fill the role in which they previously served.
Follow these five basic steps, and your team will be on the right track to establishing a healthy HR department.
What tips do you have for churches establishing their HR processes?