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I am doing an assignment on employee engagement. I came across a model of employee engagement that synthesizes past research. I looked at the parallels between employee engagement, and church member engagement….here are some parts of it, with the language altered to fit a church context: Antecedents of Engagement1. The right balance between Calling Demands and Resources available to help you do your calling. The demands should be just challenging enough, with appropriate resources in place to help you be successful in your calling.
2. Positive between-member and member-leader relationships.
3. The design of the calling — how much autonomy, feedback, perceived importance, variety in the calling the calling has.
4. Good volunteer policies that allow church members to experience growth in areas they feel are important.
5. Personal characteristics, like how conscientious or extraverted the person is — have been shown so associate with engagement, positively.
EngagementThe extent to which a member feels a) proud of the organization and work they do b) how much energy they put into the calling and c) whether they are absorbed in their calling to the extent time flies by as they work at it.
Outcomes1) Reduced Turnover Intention
This could refer reduced inactivity and name-removal rates. In industry, this means people’s intention to quit.
2) Increased Performance
In a church context, this means how well the person performs in their calling.
3) Increased Organizational Citizenship Behavior
The refers to the extent the members do things that are outside baseline expectations of the member, or the requirements of their calling (Magnifying their calling).
4) Increased Satisfaction
Increased satisfaction with their calling and the experience of being a Mormon.
I noticed that when my engagement problem happened, most of the antecedents hit unacceptably low levels. My relationship with local leaders deteriorated when they didn’t care about my need for a release, there were a couple members who engineered a heart-breaking mutiny against me that really damaged interpersonal relationships. Leaders appeared to ostracize me when I stopped functioning in the calling after four months of promises of a release.
I felt embarrassed and not respected in the Ward (a note distributed to the entire leadership) (weak between-member and member-leader relationships).
I found aspects of the calling boring and repetitive (moving, HT administration), with unrealistic expectations from Stake leaders, and insufficient, dedicated brethren (resources) to do home teaching (Demands/Resources, low skill variety). I started sending out letters to the people we could not home teach, but the Bishop would not fund the letters after a year (Resource problem). After paying tithing and fast offering, I found this disturbing, particularly when I heard the bishop sent the money back to Salt Lake City that he didn’t spend that year (lack of resources).
I also felt very constricted in the calling — everything was scripted by the general handbook (low autonomy). Feedback on how I was doing was weak, except for the mutineers, and there were times i didn’t feel what I was doing was important because there were so few results. If I did get feedback, it was normally negative from the Stake leaders who would call us to repentence when 5 teams of people went out and visited people above their regular HT load the week before the conference. It was the “pushing against the rock” story we hear about (ask about it if you are not sure what that story entails). This was in spite of being conscientious and having the ability to be extroverted when necessary.
The only thing that was present was personal growth. I was growing in the leadership aspect of calling, but that wasn’t enough to compensate for the other antecedents going south.
Notice how spirituality is not part of the model. I think it could be included, potentially, but in my case, the other antecedents dampened testimony and spirituality…a person’s testimony-strength, spirituality, could be considered in the class of variables known as personal characteristics, like extroversion and conscientiousness.
Do you think this model could apply to church engagement? If the organization focused on improving the antecedents, what impact might it have on the engagement level of members, and the outcomes of the model?
Quote:Do you think this model could apply to church engagement?
I agree that it EXPLAINS much, but I have a hard time describing why I think there is a snowballs chance in hell of actually implementing this (or even talking about it) very wide – even within a ward. That is unless it is the bishop that is pushing this.
Wonderful, in theory. Nearly impossible, in practice – and difficult even with employees who are being paid to do their work.
As sort of a thought experiment, I’ve been trying to come up with a more effective church meeting structure. I am not criticizing Church leaders, or trying to reorganize the Church. The goal is just to be as effective as possible in developing lasting, positive change. Here is what I’ve come up with so far: The main focuses of the Church will be:
-Developing a lasting sense of peace, in this life, regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in
-Developing a greater self-control over our thoughts, attitudes, and actions
-Developing a greater sense of community
-Developing humility; realizing how much we must depend on others, and how little we merit
-Developing greater empathy for our fellow men; valuing other’s happiness and success as much as our own
Church meetings.
Whenever possible, if two or more wards meet in the same building, combine them. If you have to set out a ton of chairs in the overflow, so be it.
11:30-12:00. Prelude music. Anyone who likes can come in, sit, pray, and listen to the hymns. If you need to talk, please whisper. Come and feel the Spirit. Shuffle in and out as you please.
12:00-12:30. Sing a hymn, and partake of the sacrament. It will take longer, with more people. But this will allow us some extra time to pray, meditate, and feel the spirit.
12:30-12:40. Bishop conducts ward business. He covers upcoming moves, meals that might be needed in the ward, people who need visits, etc.
12:40-1:00. Light refreshments; cheese, crackers, celery sticks. Everyone mingles in the back. Sign up sheets for the wards needs, as discussed by the bishop, are available. Everyone can see who is signing up for what; it is encouraged to do what you can. No pressure.
1:00-2:30. Classes. Classes are based on particular needs. No more “Gospel Doctrine”, “Gospel Essentials”, “Priesthood”, or “Relief Society” (Keep Primary pretty much the same).
Here will be some available classes:
-Overcoming Addiction
(whether Porn, chemical, gambling, gossiping, too much TV, junkfood. Any aspect of your life you want to change, but have a hard time changing)
-Finding a Greater Sense of Peace
-Family Relationships
-Self-Reliance
-Forgiveness
-Empathy and Rhetoric: How to Influence for the Better
-Compassion
-Gratitude
These are just some ideas. My basic thought is, Church should be tailored towards the needs of the individual. There should be more time to reflect, and less teaching. Classes should be focused on individual needs, according to what the individual feels they need. Instead of obligatory assignments, we could rely on volunteers by instilling in the members a greater sense of community. Lessons and classes should be geared towards developing specific positive behaviors, instead of a focus on specific books of scripture and doctrine. All the doctrine and scriptures can STILL be worked into lessons, but they are used as “means” rather than “ends”. Larger congregations will encourage a greater sense of community, and allow for more classes. More classes will allow members to learn and grow in areas where they feel they need the most growth.
Nice thoughts dande48. How to implement??? hmm. That is the hard part. You essentially rewrote the three or four-fold mission of the church (I heard they added care for the poor and needy as a mission at one time, not sure if it stuck). Perhaps your mission statement/objectives is just for Sunday meetings?
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