How to Evaluate Employees

by Nat Burns

 

How do churches evaluate the employees (pastoral, administrative, clerical, etc.) in their employment? Wait a minute, one might say, “Aren’t we all doing the Lord’s work? Don’t we all love Jesus? Some of us are even ‘called’!” While these statements may all be true, there are some basic ingredients that churches can use to help determine the value of their employees. When you address evaluating employees you move into a subjective area. Nevertheless, there are some specific, tangible components that can assist churches in having the right person in the right job.

Let’s acknowledge that church age, size, tradition, structure, and political process all “flavor” what churches/supervisors can do and how they do it! An important factor in this process is to develop confidentiality in the salary structure. By privatizing salaries, the church can create an environment in which excellent performance can be rewarded and the value of the employee to the organization can be maximized while ill will and misunderstanding among staff can be minimized. Moving specific salaries from the public eye may be a several-step process, but well worth it.
 

UNIVERSAL GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING ALL EMPLOYEES

•    Create Written Expectations for Each Position
      These would cover basic expectations such as dress code, punctuality, communication procedures, and office protocol. Putting these expectations in written form and distributing to all employees is best.

      For each employee level (i.e., pastoral, administrative, clerical) there should be a written job/position description.

      Be specific and clear in what the church expects from that person in that position. Articulate what is good, better, and best in performance. Whatever terms the church uses to define “excellence” or “high value”, etc., be sure the employee has a clear grasp of what those terms or words mean.

•    Calendar Specific Times for Supervisor and Employee to Dialogue
Meetings should cover topics such as the employee’s overall performance, progress made, concerns of either supervisor or employee, and steps to improve performance. The size of staff and how staff accountability is structured might influence the frequency of these meetings. Ideally four to six times a year would provide an adequate timeframe for the employee to execute and for the supervisor to observe.

•    Have a Numerical Rating System That Shows Employees Where They Are
A rating system serves as a checkpoint for that specific period of evaluation. Simplicity is a key to creating a numerical system for evaluation. A one-to-five numbering system allows adequate division to benchmark performance.

•    Allow Employees to “Buy Into” the Process Through Self-Evaluation
By using some type of personal-assessment tool, employee “ownership” is heightened as employees are able to give input into what they deem is progress made by them, obstacles they have overcome, and concerns/questions they might have in interpreting expectations of their position.
         
•    Involve Other Levels of Staff in Determining an Overall Composite Impression of the Employee’s Effectiveness
      Insight and perspective can be harnessed and a better appreciation of the employee gained by involving co-workers, peers, and other personnel in the employee’s circle in the evaluation process.

•    Clearly Define Rewards and Consequences
      Rewards should be equitable for each level of staff. They should be compelling to the employee. Financial incentives, added/expanded benefits, support for continuing education, sabbatical leave, and title change are all legitimate means of conveying to the employee their value.

      Consequences should likewise be used as a positive step in helping the employee improve. They should be realistic, attainable, and couched in a timeframe that would allow for adequate supervision and evaluation.

•    Follow Through
      Supervisors should keep accurate notes. Even when less than preferred actions need to be taken, a solid written account of the interactions between employer and employee provide a solid rationale and a fair defense of the steps and methods that have been taken to arrive at the decision.

Finding, hiring and retaining excellent staff is a constant challenge. Creating an equitable, clear system of evaluation for employees to know and follow can be a boost to employee morale and performance and allow the church to be the best steward of the personnel resources entrusted to them.
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Nat Burns is Executive Pastor for Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield, MO. Also an active member of BACE.