Staff Lifestyle Agreement: An Essential Tool for Your Staff
Every organization has non-negotiable expectations of its staff: beliefs and behaviors that, if not adhered to, would affect that staff member’s employment status. It sounds harsh at first glance, but think about your ministry’s stance on marriage, sanctity of life, or the authority of Scripture. Wherever you stand, your organization’s mission is influenced by these beliefs and you want people on your team that also uphold them.
So what are yours? And, more importantly, is your staff aware of them? If you’re not completely sure your entire staff and leadership team is on the same page, you could be in trouble. This is why a Staff Lifestyle Agreement is a crucial document for every church and ministry organization. This document outlines all of your core beliefs and expectations in one place and asks each employee to commit to adhering to them. Basically, if a behavior or belief has any factor in hiring, firing or discipline, it needs to be put in writing (alongside scriptural references) and signed by staff members.
What it is NOT
A Staff Lifestyle Agreement is not a “gotcha” document to put in place in the hopes of catching someone crossing a line. It also isn’t a substitute for your Staff Handbook’s Statement of Faith. Your Statement of Faith identifies and communicates your organization's foundational beliefs. A Staff Lifestyle Agreement goes further, helping to ensure everyone understands the why behind these expectations and the consequences if they are not met. It is also not an empty list of rules but about the heart behind daily living. Communicating expectations without heart will lead to an inauthentic staff lacking the unity those common beliefs could and should bring.
Why It’s Important
While this document does benefit your organization by reducing legal risk when tough employment decisions have to be made, it is also incredibly beneficial to your staff, creating clarity and accountability. Setting clear expectations is actually the most loving thing you can do. Think about job descriptions or performance plans–these are other examples of where you have to clearly define behavioral expectations. A Staff Lifestyle Agreement is the initial groundwork that lays those expectations out clearly. It's not loving to hold someone accountable to expectations they didn't know existed. We encourage our clients to view this tool as a pivotal piece of staff culture, unity and accountability that communicates your heart to your staff.
How to Implement
The implementation of a Staff Lifestyle Agreement begins at the time of hire: it introduces your expectations formally to the new employee creating a clear foundation for organizational culture from the start. But it’s far from the only time this document should be referenced: Staff Lifestyle Agreements should be reviewed annually by leadership to make sure each piece is still relevant and communicated well (think about how cultural context shifts). It should also be reviewed regularly with staff to continue to build and reinforce the cultural foundation you’ve laid. Leadership should also have supporting procedures to help staff members who may be struggling to assimilate. And, most of all, this document should be modeled by leadership with authenticity.
How Do You Write One
Actually, let us take it off of your plate so you can focus on what you do well. While the specifics of the Staff Lifestyle Agreement will be custom to your organization, the layout and language we provide make it clear, compliant, and comprehensive. That’s why we offer a simple, quick, and painless process to customize a Staff Lifestyle Agreement in four easy steps. You’ll work with a dedicated HR Advisor to create a Staff Lifestyle Agreement based on your statement of faith and core values that makes expectations clear and provides opportunities to disciple the people that should be discipled first—your staff.
If you’re not convinced yet, click here to listen in on a recent webinar where two of our HR experts discuss why Staff Lifestyle Agreements are so crucial. If you know your organization needs one click the button below to learn more about our process!