Paying Your Volunteers

How to get them to say yes next time.

The idea that all workers, paid or volunteer, are, in essence, volunteers is not new. In today's highly competitive job market, employees, especially in technical fields, frequently entertain job offers from headhunters. What makes people stay at a company? Most think erroneously that money is the number one motivator. It's not.

An acquaintance, a chemist in the computer industry, recently complained to me that his company didn't recognize him for one of his inventions — a special solution that washes silicon chips. He told me his company pays him a big salary, but "what I want is recognition for what I've done," he said. He was frustrated because he hadn't been singled out for his unique contribution on several projects.

"Psychic income" refers to what motivates people other than money, such as respect, recognition, and challenge. Psychic income may be the only non-eternal benefit people receive from serving in the church, yet it's often in short supply. Simple things such as a thank-you ...

Subscriber access only You have reached the end of this Article Preview

To continue reading, subscribe to Christianity Today magazine. Subscribers have full digital access to CT Pastors articles.

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

From the Magazine
Meet the TikTok Generation of Televangelists
Meet the TikTok Generation of Televangelists
These young influencers want to #MakeJesusViral.
Editor's Pick
How Codependency Hampered My Pastoral Ministry
How Codependency Hampered My Pastoral Ministry
Part of the emotional drain I felt during the pandemic came from trying to manage my members’ feelings.
close