The $36/Hour Question: Are You Valuing Your Volunteers Right?

The Healthy Church Staff Podcast

The Healthy Church Staff Podcast
The $36/Hour Question: Are You Valuing Your Volunteers Right?
Aug 20, 2026 Episode 684

The episode discusses the economic value of volunteer work, highlighting that volunteer hours in 2025 are valued at $36.14 each. It emphasizes recognizing volunteers' sacrifices instead of viewing them as free labor. The discussion centers around shifting from a scarcity mindset to a stewardship mindset to better appreciate, train, and celebrate volunteers. This approach aims to improve volunteer retention and fulfillment. • Volunteer work is valued at $36.14 per hour in 2025. • Churches often undervalue volunteers, viewing them as free labor. • Shift from scarcity to stewardship mindset in managing volunteers. • Proper training, planning, and communication are essential for respecting volunteer contributions. • Regular and specific acknowledgment of volunteer work is important. • Avoiding guilt to recruit volunteers leads to better results. • Valuing volunteer time contributes to longer tenures and increased satisfaction.

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