One of the seminar sessions I often present is called “The Care and Feeding of Your Staff.” The idea is not to present the great people who are part of your team as pets or animals. The thought is that those in leadership should have the best interest at heart for the ones the Lord has given them for ministry. You as a leader should care for them, encourage them, and support them.

I recently saw some statistics for U.S workers. It’s pretty revealing information about corporate America and may have insight from which we can learn in our areas of leadership.

  • 79% of employees will quit their jobs due to a lack of appreciation from leaders.
  • 83% of employers agree that it’s crucial to develop their employees’ skills, but only 5% of corporations actually implement these improvements.
  • Only 14% of CEOs have the leadership talent they need to grow their businesses.
  • 15% of candidates state they turned down job offers due to a negative work culture.
  • 70% of employees in the U.S. are unhappy in their jobs due to negative management.
from 21+ Inspiring Leadership Statistics [2020 Edition]

Not a pretty picture. I wonder what the statistics would look like for Christian ministries and organizations? Would it be much different?

God’s Word is clear about giving appropriate compensation for those who work:

For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”

1 Timothy 5:18 NLT

Eugene Peterson has a unique take on this verse. In The Message he looks to verse 17 and starts out with this:

“Give a bonus to leaders who do a good job, especially the ones who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

Dr. Gary Chapman, who spoke at one of our MEDIAlliance Summits, has written a whole book on how to show appreciation to our employees…and it should apply to volunteers who serve in our ministries and organizations, too. Chapman bases the book on his classic “Five Love Languages,” applying them to the environment and relationships in the workplace. The premise is the same. Not everyone has the same “love” language or the same “appreciation” language. But when we can communicate our appreciation in the right language it will have a dramatic effect on those who serves with us. The author says by doing so you should expect great results. The principles taught in The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace will help you lead your team and help you show your genuine care for those entrusted to you by the Lord. One blogger gave this insight about the book:

“Our motivation is maximized when we receive our ideal form of praise, encouragement, or reward for our efforts. Since it is the job of a manager, leader, or boss to not only keep the company or department running but also to keep up a happy workforce; understanding what makes individuals tick is crucial for helping the bottom line.”

– 15five blog

A good exercise might be to take 30 minutes at the beginning of this week and write down ways you can show real appreciation to your team, both as a group and individually. Challenging? Yes. But worth the time spent in caring for and serving your team.