Looking to Hire a Millennial at Your Church?

With Millennials making up the largest generation in the workforce with 1 out 3 workers born between 1981 and 1996, chances are that your church already employs a Millennial on its staff. You might even have a Millennial as your boss or ministry supervisor. However, there are many pervading myths about Millennial workers including that they are lazy, entitled, needy, or disloyal to their institution or company. So, what’s the truth, and what do you need to know if you are looking to hire a Millennial at your church?

Be upfront about your hiring practices.

Many Millennials entered the job market during the Great Recession and are now facing another economic downturn, so they need to know the truth regarding salary and hours workload. If your church can really only afford a part-time salary, say that. Don’t give false hope that you “expect this to turn into a full-time position within a year or so.” If a full-time salaried position at your church typically means working over a 40 hour work week, then say that as well. (We all know there is no such thing as “part-time salaried ministry position.”) State your workload expectations and then stick with them once the position is hired. It won’t scare away a potential Millennial hire, but they would rather know now than six months into the job. This doesn’t mean they are entitled or feel like they deserve more money. They just want to know they will be getting compensated fairly for the work they are doing. 

Millennials are loyal to their church or company, but only to an extent.

Long gone are the days when a church would call a pastor or a company would hire an employee who would start and end a career in the same place. According to Gallup, 60% of Millennials are open to different job opportunities. Often, in order to receive a raise or a promotion, they have to go outside their current employer to be considered for extra compensation or a role change. Sometimes, Millennials simply are not finding the purpose and meaning they desire in their current positions. Make sure that before you hire a Millennial employee, you lay out your compensation schedule and promotion opportunities and give them work and projects that they find rewarding and compelling.

 Remote working, flexible hours, and benefits are key.

Even if your church isn’t able to sway Millennial candidates with an impressive salary package, you might be able to convince them to come on board with your team with some of the intangible benefits you can offer. Millennial workers value the ability to work remotely on their time and be flexible about when and where they get their jobs done. For them, it is not so much about punching a clock for a certain number of hours a week. Instead it is about doing the job well however long it takes. Could you offer them flex hours and remote working capabilities? Maybe you could throw in an extra week of paid vacation? By offering these flexible working options, you make it less about the hours they show up physically to the office, and you show that you trust them as an employees and value them as people with full lives.