10 Questions to Diagnose Staff Job Satisfaction

An incredible culture flourishes when a church’s leadership and its staff are accountable to each other. For this accountability to work, it requires more than performance appraisals of your teams. The administration needs periodic checkups too.

Here are 10 questions you can ask your team members to help judge the health of your church culture.

1. What areas of the church’s vision do you resonate with most?

This question gives you insight into how well vision is being communicated. If people struggle to come up with an answer or their responses have little to do with your church mission, it is probably time to recast your vision and get everyone back on board.

Your mission and vision should not be incidental; it should be a chief motivating factor.

2. How clear are your responsibilities?

There should be no ambiguity about expectations. Each volunteer or staff member should know what is expected of them. If they do not, it might be a sign of a communication breakdown or lack of clarity on behalf of the leadership.

3. Are there areas where you lack training or support?

Different personalities require different levels of involvement and oversight. Some people are perfectly happy with very little supervision, and others desire more input. Determine what kind of environment each member prospers in. To treat your staff equally, you will need to handle them all a bit differently.

4. What resources or help do you need to succeed?

Sometimes team members might not feel comfortable asking for tools or assistance. This question encourages you to have an open dialogue about what they might need or want. It also enables you to get on the same page about their budget or ability to bring on volunteers or helpers.

5. Are you comfortable voicing your opinion—even if it challenges leadership decisions? Why or why not?

The feeling that one’s input and ideas are valued is an essential element of a healthy culture. No one wants to be somewhere where their contributions are not appreciated. Occasionally, people will feel as if they are not allowed to speak, but it is not the organization’s fault. It could be the employees’ insecurity. That is why it is critical to have this conversation regularly.

6. What would you say is our team’s #1 motivator?

You can derive a lot of insight from this question. Hopefully, their response will be “God’s will” or “our mission.” But it is possible that their reaction could go in another direction and give you critical insight. For instance, if they said “money,” it is probably important to get to the bottom of that impression.

7. Do you feel that the work you are doing matters to God and the church?

Deep down, people want to do things that matter. If people do not feel like their work matters, there is a good chance that they are not using their gifts or they are not feeling appreciated. It is going to be helpful to know the difference.

8. How has this team inspired you to do your best work?

This is a trick question. It is intended to draw out any underlying issues on the staff. If you ask people outright whether they have any problems with their team, they can probably come up with something. This question allows them to focus on the positive. If you get the sense that they are holding back or unhappy, you can press for more information.

9. If someone asked whether your position contributed to or distracted from your spiritual growth, how would you respond?

Work is work. Everyone is expected to perform and contribute at their job. But be honest—one should expect more from church employment. The environment, the relationships, and the work itself should be propelling people toward spiritual maturity. If someone’s work at the church is not encouraging growth, you need to know.

10. Are there any areas in your job where you feel stuck?

This is a great way to close out a church checkup. It reinforces your desire to see team members excel, and it gives them an opportunity to talk about any of their questions or concerns.

Diagnosing cultural health

Even with the best of intentions, positive church cultures do not simply materialize. They have to be created and maintained. Because a culture is an amalgam of opinions and attitudes, it is critical that you do not assume that your feelings are an adequate picture of the culture. With questions like these, you can get a clearer picture of your culture and any areas that could use some work. By simply asking these questions, you are communicating that you care—which already improves the culture.