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In Search of Greener Pastures. Causes of Protestant Church Pastoral Turnover and the Implications for a Retention Environment: a brief report Holly Ho September 2007. The Phenomenon. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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1
In Search of Greener Pastures
Causes of Protestant Church Pastoral Turnover
and the Implications for a Retention Environment:a brief report
Holly HoSeptember 2007
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The Phenomenon Despite loyalty, sacrifice and perseverance
being the core values, instead of the pursuit of monetary rewards and self interests, pastoral turnover in HK has been surprisingly high – at least no different from that of the overall labour market turnover: Pastoral staff: 46.40% (2000-2004), 46.60%
(1995-1999) Overall labour market: <45.40% (2000-2004)
Owing to the general lack of such data and their incompatibility, figures shown were consolidated and compared using data from Census & Statistics Department of HKSARG, HK Institute of Human Resources Management, and a renowned human resources consulting firm.
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Research ObjectivesTo find out for the Church: Causes of pastoral turnover, and Cures for pastoral turnover (i.e. retention
factors –how the Church can help pastoral staff stay)
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Method Survey conducted between mid-December
2006 to mid-February 2007 with 2 sample groups: Pastors in service
103 valid questionnaires returnedrepresenting 3.1% of the estimated population (~3,300)
Seminarians111 valid questionnaires returnedcovering at least 5 theological schools
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Survey – Content Coverage Section 1 – demographics Section 2 & 3 – items based on the following
categories, consolidated from major authors & theories: Work Itself Growth & Development Feedback & Recognition Trust & Relationship Organisational Characteristics Work/Life Balance Feelings & Emotions Hygiene (e.g. compensation & benefits) A special calling
(only applicable in Seminarian’s questionnaire)
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Survey – StructureQuestionnai
re Pastoral Staff version Seminarian version
Section 1
Demographics,plus pastoral tenures, and intention/action of quitting
(17 questions)
Demographics,plus history of church
affiliation, expected minimum tenure
(11 questions)
Section 2*
Ratings of the importance of different factors
affecting the intention/action to quit
(34 questions)
Ratings of the importance of different factors when
considering whether to join a particular church for ministry
(33 questions)
Section 3*
Ratings of the importance of different factors
making the respondent stay in the current
position (34 questions)
Perceived reality – ratings to show whether those factors were provided in the church
with which the respondent was most familiar(31 questions)* Sections 2 & 3 were based on the 8 categories aforementioned
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Results – Pastoral Staff
Considered quitting a pastorate in the past 12 months 31.31%
Actually quitted a pastorate in the past 12 months 20.99%
Considering quitting a pastorate in the next 12 months 9.28%
Turnover intention/action:
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Results – Pastoral Staff
MeanTrust & Relationship 4.560Organisational Characteristics 4.383Growth & Development 4.254Feelings & Emotions 4.129Work Itself 4.064Work/Life Balance 4.024Feedback & Recognition 3.946Non-work 3.767Hygiene 2.917
Rated on a 6-point scale: 6 = extremely important; 1 = unimportant at all
Importance of factors affecting the intention/action of quitting:
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Results – Pastoral Staff
MeanTrust & Relationship 5.014Organisational Characteristics 4.628Growth & Development 4.521Work/Life Balance 4.403Work Itself 4.401Feelings & Emotions 4.400Feedback & Recognition 4.278Hygiene 3.578Non-work 3.171
Rated on a 6-point scale: 6 = extremely important; 1 = unimportant at all
Importance of factors affecting the intention of staying:
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Results – Seminarians
Attraction
Perceived Reality Difference
Trust & Relationship* 5.200 4.084 1.116A Special Calling 4.960 # #Organisational Characteristics* 4.551 3.985 0.566Work/Life Balance* 4.440 3.938 0.502Feelings & Emotions* 4.367 3.944 0.423Growth & Development* 4.366 3.884 0.481Work Itself 4.257 4.124 0.133Feedback & Recognition* 4.181 3.978 0.202Hygiene* 3.650 4.443 -0.793
Rated on a 6-point scale: 6 = extremely important; 1 = unimportant at all# not applicable (question only included in Section 2 – attraction factors)* Statistically significant differences observed between attraction (desire) & perceived reality
Importance of attraction factors against perceived reality:
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Causes & Cures for Turnover Trust & Relationship
Top rated category as the cause of pastoral turnover intention/action, factor for staying, and attraction factor for seminarians (i.e.to-be-pastors)
Also where the biggest difference between desire & reality (seminarian’s sample) was observed
Personnel issues or politics Top rated item among 34 items as the cause of
turnover intention/action Categorised under organisational
characteristics
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Causes & Cures for Turnover People issues
The consistent high importance ratings of Trust & Relationship and Personnel issues or politics converged to people issues
The trust between pastoral staff and their supervisor pastor(s), and the trust between pastoral staff and lay leaders were under the spotlight, urging for reviewing and improving:
• The partnership between pastoral staff and lay leaders – which could be not only a work stressor, but a driver of turnover in western studies
• The management and supervision of pastoral staff
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Causes & Cures for Turnover Non-work factors & Hygiene
Both at the bottom of the list – aligned with “Christian values” of perseverance, not pursuing materialistic reward, etc
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Results – on TenureSeminarians’ opinion on how long a pastoral staff should stay with a church as a minimum:
0-2 years 0.0%3-4 years 24.8%5-6 years 37.6%7-8 years 10.1%9-10 years 11.0%
More than 10 years 16.5%
At least 3 years 100.0%At least 5 years 75.2%At least 7 years 37.6%At least 9 years 27.5%
In other words…
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Results – on TenureHowever, the reality according to pastoral staff in service:
Pastoral Tenure (Years)
Median Mean Minimum Maximu
mCurrent pastorate 3.5 5.76 0.25 27Last pastorate 3.5 4.65 1 15Longest tenure completed 4.71 4.95 1 15
Shortest tenure completed 2 3.03 0 15
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The Pastoral Tenure Tenures in reality were much shorter than
expected/desired 75.2% expected it to be at least 5 years However, no tenure medians reached 5 years
(current pastorate: 3.5, last: 3.5, longest: 4.71)
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The Disengagement Process While the shortest tenure median was 2 years and
longest 4.71, these periods had already included a disengagement process that had started long before the action of quitting
The disengagement process was probably much lengthened in the pastorate Because of the conviction of a calling (which was rated
second most important in the seminarian sample), feeling of obligation, and a premeditated commitment
In fact, “resigning too late” was one or the common regrets quitters reported
Therefore the turnover phenomenon might have been more serious than the figures apparently presented
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Limitations of the Current Study General lack of databases in HK for the past
decade Limited relevant research in HK Sensitivity of the topic, and small size of the
circle Resistance of some respondents towards
secular diction like work instead of ministry or service
Resources of the researcher who was a full-time worker
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Recommendations Note that quitting intention/action remains high
Disengagement can take a long time, so it is important to focus on continuously engaging the pastoral staff
Pursue to become the Church of Choice Trust & relationship and a good personnel
environment are unambiguously among top attraction and retention factors – lay leaders have an important role to play in many aspects
Pastoral staffing policies and practices should be reviewed to ensure that they demonstrate justice and encourage professional growth and personal development
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Recommendations Confront people issues
Building a positive mindset for organisational politics which is a fact of life
Training and mentorship on negotiation and influencing skills for both pastoral staff and lay leaders
Consider intangible strategic options Short-term: work-life benefits, new hire
engagement, retention-focused onboarding & orientation
Long-term: work climate/culture, supervisor behaviour
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Recommendations Be prepared for the new face of the
upcoming generation of pastoral staff New pastoral staff will come into the field with
generally more secular work experience; the positive side being the benefits it can bring to the ministry and to the church
The new blood will be mainly Generation-Xers in contrast to Baby Boomers, brought up in the backdrop of an entirely different employment and career thinking
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AcknowledgmentsProf Chris Smith, for his supervision;
Rev Dr Joseph Kok, Rev Au Pak Ping, Ms Elaine OL Cheung, Prof Harry C Hui, Prof Lau Chung-Ming, Mr Gideon Yung, and Mr Robert Chen, for their assurance, support, encouragement and practical help;
Ms Silver Chan and Mrs Carmen Siu for their insights and challenges;
All survey respondents for their input and belief in the meaningfulness of this study;
Our Heavenly Father who provides me with these angels I do not deserve.
Holly Ho, AMDG
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Thank You!
Please let me know if you want to read the full text of this MBA dissertation.