Burnout can happen to anyone – and volunteers in ministry are no exception. It’s been said that when someone leaves, they leave a person, not an institution, and that’s not easy to do! It’s so difficult for some people that they stay until they can’t take it anymore, having never expressed their feelings of burnout or asked for help.
What are some signs of volunteer burnout? Though they may vary widely, here are a few possibilities:
- They stop responding to Planning Center invitations on time
- They arrive late or not at all on their scheduled week
- There is a little bit of negativity toward others in the group
- They don’t seem to have fun with it anymore
- Leave quickly after rehearsals and don’t engage much with others
- Complain to you about what’s going on or about others
- They’re more frazzled than energized after leading/serving
Of course, someone can have an off week; it’s a pattern you’re looking for. When these things happen, a conversation can really help, whether it seems complicated or not.
There are some things worship leaders can do to build in systems to help prevent burnout among your team members:
Regular Check-Ins
Regular check-in with your team is a great way to keep people moving forward. This can be done informally or formally. We often schedule three or four all-team meetings each year. During those meetings, I always have people fill out a form that helps me keep updated info, and to ask people their scheduling preferences for the next season – one time a month, twice, or more often? People have seasons where things go crazy – a new job, a new baby, a bunch of work travel, or something else. When we invite people to share their preferences, it helps us get a grip on their schedules and may open the door to talking through it. Regular check-ins also let you hear some of this through conversations. A good way to begin is to ask, What can I be praying for you? On a side note, I will often put a little checkbox note at the end of the info paper that says something like, “I am fine with early morning or late-night texts if a substitute is needed.” It’s neat how many people check the box and initial, and how it makes them feel closer in community, even if we don’t have a situation like that very often. Regular check-in also gives volunteers a place to share their feelings of being overburdened right now.
Appreciation
Unless a volunteer knows that someone knows what they are doing and how well they are doing, it’s going to be challenging to stay motivated. They may not need public praise, but they need to know that at least one person sees and appreciates them! Find ways to appreciate the community as a whole team and as individuals.
Training
This piece to the overall puzzle will help equip people for more than just music! Training at times can be training how we want our team members to view their ministry, how we want them to prepare for the music each week, the tools we have that can help them, and spiritual training in prayer, disciplines, etc. When we train our team, they grow in leadership and understand the expectations. The clear guidelines help people see where they fit into the overall picture and how their small slice contributes to making it all happen.
Mandatory Breaks
Breaks can help everyone! If you can build in a month off a year or two months every three years, that would help your team members. We want to develop a culture where each team member understands they can come to you and step down for a season without feeling bad about it. Sometimes, without a break, you don’t know you’re even worn out. Once you give people a sense of this with a mandatory break, they are more likely to stay longer overall. There is a difference between sprinters and marathoners. In our busy culture, people are most often, especially musicians/artsy types, sprinters – all in for several months before taking a short break, then another round. Your team can be with you for twenty-plus years in this format.
Good Serving Systems
Make preparing as easy as possible for your team. Sometimes the things that cause burnout aren’t the singing and playing – that’s often the energizing part! I find that people get tired of drama, lack of planning, and last-minute changes. You want to let your team know what to expect and stick with it. Rehearsal should start on time and end on time. Chord charts should be correct most of the time. Set lists should be available as early as possible and not change every single week. You want to schedule people well in advance so they can plan their month, learn the songs, and keep family calendars straight. Solid serving systems will be a gift to your team and create harmony that wouldn’t otherwise be there. Systems are your friend as a worship leader and a lifeline as a volunteer team member. Make it easy.
