Believe it or not, 51% of church staff have seriously considered leaving their positions within the last year, giving ministry leaders a profound reason for concern. This alarming statistic is one of the significant discoveries we unveiled in our annual Church Staff Health Assessment Report this year, which we explore in today's Healthy Church Staff Podcast.
The first discovery we highlight is the disturbingly high "flight risk" in church staff across America. With more than half of church staff mulling over leaving their roles, the challenge of managing church staff turnover has never been more pressing.
Roles with the highest flight risk include creative art staff at 75%, associate pastors at 69%, and worship pastors at 64%. Even for senior pastors, the percentage hovers around 48%.
There is a significant 25-point gap between the perspective from the top of the org chart and the second chair. Generally, those supporting the vision feel less healthy than those casting it. This discrepancy might cause your valuable staff members, those who know your systems, culture, and people, to consider leaving precisely when you start reaping the rewards of your investment in them.
The trickiest aspect of staff turnover is that leaders often remain ignorant until it's too late. Staff members tend to process their thoughts privately, discussing their plans with their spouses instead of their supervisors. By the time you hear about their intentions, their decisions are often already made.
The question isn't whether some of your staff have considered leaving your church. The question is, who are the potential leavers, why are they thinking about leaving, and what are you doing about it before it's too late?
Schedule a genuine "how are you" kind of conversation with a staff member you're worried about losing. Try asking a question like, "What's one frustration you've stopped mentioning because you think nothing's going to change?" Then, provide a listening ear and constructive action.
This issue of staff turnover is one of ten significant insights that we uncovered in our Church Staff Health Assessment Report this year. Our report is a comprehensive 200+ page document that offers a blend of raw data, trends, and practical advice based on real-time experiences of over 1200 church staff from across the United States and Canada.
Download your free copy here: Church Staff Health Report
The health of your staff profoundly affects your church's health. Be proactive, attentive, and responsive to ensure your church staff's health—and your church's wellbeing. Dive deeper into this subject in today's Healthy Church Staff Podcast episode.