Your team is tired.
Staff, leaders, and volunteers have lived with Covid complexity for a while with effects that will linger for years to come. Much of how they have done ministry has changed dramatically.
People have new roles and responsibilities. Leaders have navigated choppy waters. Your team has balanced ridiculous expectations.
It’s no wonder they are tired.
And if you’re not careful, feeling tired takes the next step to exhaustion. That’s a step beyond “a busy season” like Easter, Christmas, or a big event.
Feelings of exhaustion can lead to burnout which can have rippling detrimental effects personally and organizationally.
Here are some things pastors can do right now to breathe fresh life into your team.
#1 – Schedule some social time.
One of the biggest signs of job satisfaction in any career is having a friend at work. This is true for church staff, too. Invite people to your home for a cookout. Borrow or rent a lake house for a family day. Go to Top Golf. Find an environment where your team can connect outside of work and have fun.
#2 – Have pastoral conversations.
In church, it’s surprisingly easy to forget that we need to pastor our team, not just lead them. Your team needs a pastor right now. Are you shepherding their soul and pastoring them like a church member? Don’t let it always be about work and goals.
#3 – Add personal development to your meeting cadence.
Serving in a church takes a lot out of a person. Repurpose some of your meetings and regular rhythms to add back into their life and faith. When people get better, there’s a collective benefit. When you invest in people, they feel valued.
#4 – Reset expectations.
If you’re the leader of a staff or ministry team, you’re the Chief Clarify Officer. In this season, casting clarity is every bit as important as casting vision. It’s okay to scale back if needed. If you’re clear, meeting a lesser goal is still a win. Does your team know what’s expected of them? Are those expectations written down and agreed upon?
#5 – Double down on communication.
In times of stress, average communication feels like bad communication. If successes aren’t shared, challenges aren’t discussed, and ideas aren’t heard, people will feel like they are working alone. No matter what system or tools you use, perfect them. Learn how to use them properly. Commit to communication, knowing it’s nearly impossible to overdo.
Take the Next Step
If you really want to dive into this topic, we have a resource called The Tired Team: A Toolkit to Improve Staff Morale.
It comes with a video for leaders, a video for team members, and six practical exercises to help you re-energize your team. Learn more here.