Our team has a huge emphasis on cultivating great staff culture. But what does a positive office culture look like for church staffs? How can you tell if your office is showing signs of a positive workplace culture? How can you improve your church staff culture?
We were honored to be named
Entreprenuer's #1 Company Culture for small businesses in 2015, so we know a thing or two about building team culture. Here are some key signs and characteristics that play a huge part in building great church staff culture.
1. There are measurable and attainable goals for church staff members.
If you ask anyone in our office what their goals are, they would be able to tell you not only what their individual goals are, but also their team goals and
company-wide goals. Every staff member has individual goals—and often personal goals as well, regardless of what department they are in.
2. Staff members are involved in setting their own goals.
Being a part of setting your own goals, alongside your supervisor, helps give you some options and provides an opportunity to take some personal ownership of them.
3. There is a company-wide performance-based bonus structure.
Having a company-wide
bonus pool creates a “we are all in this together” mentality. It is important that this is a company-wide bonus structure to encourage teamwork. Every team member needs to know their contribution to the company matters, and if they do their work with excellence, regardless of their role, it makes a huge difference. It’s awesome to work in an atmosphere where every team member is invested in each other’s work and willing to jump in and help when needed.
4. There are staff values that are quotable and relatable.
Our company values are a huge driving factor in how we do business. Wow-Making Excellence, Ridiculous Responsiveness, Contagious Fun, etc. These are easy to remember and clear without needing a whole lot of explanation.
Download our guide to creating your church staff values here.
5. The physical office space is inviting.
Our office is
comfortable and inviting but also very functional. It’s one of the first things people comment on when they visit us. Make sure your church staff office is warm, inviting and encourages collaboration.
6. The leadership team is accessible.
I sit near my leader's (open) office door, and I regularly pop my head in to ask him questions. There isn’t a barrier to access him. At a church with a great staff culture, you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to chat with your leadership.
7. You see people collaborating every day.
Research has shown that meetings can be counterproductive at times, but that is usually because those meetings have a lack of clarity and goals. We regularly collaborate to
brainstorm and help each other with things that might need a fresh perspective. These times of collaboration are usually very focused on a certain action point with a set time window.
8. Staff members hang out after work hours.
Do you see people interacting outside of work hours? Are people running for the door at 5 p.m., or are they open to spending more time together outside of work? I recently went to dinner and then headed to a Houston Rockets game after work with a group of coworkers. We are all truly friends and care about one another.
9. Staff is encouraged to use their vacation time.
There are plenty of offices that won’t stop you from taking vacation but they might frown upon it behind closed doors. Our employees are encouraged to actually use their time off to spend time with family,
recharge, rest and relax. If you ever hear grumbles about not being able to take vacation in an office, that is usually a sign of a toxic office culture.
10. There is flexibility with scheduling.
Our staff does not telecommute or work remotely (other than our
awesome Consultants who are on the road meeting with great churches during the week), and having an in-house team fosters our collaboration, effectiveness, efficiency and team culture. We do, however, have a flexible window of when we can arrive at and leave work, allowing the early birds to arrive at 7 a.m. when they desire and the others to arrive at 8 or 9 a.m. so they can work when they are most productive. We also have freedom to use our allotted Paid Time Off as we need. Having this spirit of flexibility helps strengthen a great staff culture.
11. The church staff members are trusted by their leaders.
There is nothing I dislike more than being
micromanaged, and it’s something I’ve never felt here at Vanderbloemen. I schedule my day in a way that works for me. I like to do my phone meetings in the afternoons and work on more task-oriented duties in the mornings. When leaders trust their staff members and give them the permission to lead, great church staff culture is fostered.
12. There are healthy snacks and drinks available.
Having a stocked fridge and snacks isn’t uncommon in many offices, and is a nice, practical way to care for the staff. I appreciate that here at Vanderbloemen, we always have fresh fruit, nuts and drinks other than sodas as opposed to just chips and candy. You'd be amazing how much free food adds to a positive staff culture.
13. There are regular celebrations.
We love celebrating! Outside of the normal birthday/holiday celebrations we like do get together on a monthly basis as a whole staff for a fun event. We also get together on a team level once a month for a lunch that celebrates the highest achiever on our team. We even award the person who went to the gym the most each month to celebrate our staff value of Stewardship of Life!
14. Staff members have written affirmation from leaders.
I’m not just talking about a yearly review. Positive affirmation is a real motivator, and putting it in writing goes a long way. Telling someone you appreciate them is great, but giving them a card saying the same things conveys so much more.
15. Negative comments go up, and positive comments go down.
This is how comments should flow in a positive office culture. If a staff member has a concern or is questioning something, they should be directing it to their supervisor and not complaining to people who don’t have the ability to make a change. On the opposite side, if you are a leader you should be
recognizing the good work of the people underneath you.
Do you work in an office with an amazing, positive culture? What are some unique qualities you have noticed about your office?
