Work with others on your staff to prepare a comprehensive orientation and training program for your new assistant. The orientation may be conducted by you, the supervisor, or by a coworker who is familiar with the duties of the position.
Sample orientation plan for a new assistant
Before the ministry assistant begins work:
Prepare the work area.
Make sure the desk is stocked with essential tools and supplies.
Move all unrelated items that may have collected in the empty office.
On the first day:
Welcome the new employee to the office staff. Take a few minutes to visit and become acquainted.
Show the assistant around and make introductions to others in the office.
Invite the entire staff to pray together.
Point out the location of the work room, supply closet, copier, break room/kitchen, and rest room.
Point out the location of the equipment manuals.
Go over the job description and organization chart.
Review pending tasks.
Discuss proper office attire.
Decide how each of you shall address the other, by title and last name, first name, and so forth.
Share the mission/vision statement of the church or ministry. Share your personal mission statement.
Review the programs and ministries of the church.
Explain how the office relates to committees, the church council, leadership team, and others.
Ask the new assistant to read the personnel handbook, church constitution and bylaws, committee manual, and other materials that will acquaint the new assistant with the church.
Introduce the new assistant to information resources such as directories, denominational annuals, and periodicals.
Allow time to complete personnel forms (W-4, insurance, and annuity applications).
Explain about lunch breaks.
During the first week:
Allow time for the assistant to set up the desk and explore the work area.
If possible, allow the new assistant to observe someone else in a similar job, such as answering the telephone and operating office equipment.
Decide to meet daily to go over priorities, appointments, assignments, instructions, and questions.
Agree upon a date in three months for a preliminary performance review. Schedule a second review at six months, followed by routine annual reviews.
After two weeks:
Ask the new assistant if there are any questions about the reading materials that were assigned as part of the orientation.
Discuss any problem areas that each of you may have experienced.
Ask if she is beginning to feel comfortable in the office environment and with assigned duties.
Introduce materials for professional development (books, periodicals, seminars, online learning) and prepare a plan for continuing education.
Ongoing team-building:
Meet weekly as a staff (including the secretary) to go over calendars, projects, and discuss ministry issues.
Touch base daily (supervisor and secretary) to look at priorities, appointments, and bottlenecks.
Inform the secretary of your work preferences: which telephone callers or visitors to put through to your office, regardless; how to process and arrange incoming mail; how much uninterrupted time you require; how much latitude the secretary has for editing correspondence.
Alert the secretary to additional or unusual assignments well in advance.
Compensate excessive overtime, if not with pay, with compensatory time off.
Give the whole picture when new assignments are made, and be clear about instructions and deadlines.
Encourage the assistant to use his or her initiative in planning work and setting priorities.
Clarify when the assistant can act for you in making decisions, appointments, and giving out information.
Refrain from pointing out errors in public. Don't make the secretary your scapegoat. Accept shared responsibility for errors.
Back up the assistant's decisions in public; deal with problems in private.
Affirm your assistant publicly. Let the congregation and lay leaders know you are a team.
Use please and thank you when making or receiving completed assignments.
Express your appreciation openly and often.
Resist comparing your new assistant to your former secretary.
Remember secretary's day appropriately.
Use the assistant as a sounding board. Ask her for her opinion and input.
Include the secretary in planning meetings that will involve the resources of the office.
Encourage and support (financially and with time) professional growth activities. This may include certification programs for ministry assistants.
Recognize that there is little chance for promotion for an outstanding secretary. Offer opportunities for job expansion and growth by broadening the scope of responsibility and authority and making job titles reflective of these changes. Use your influence with the personnel committee to appropriately compensate your assistant with regular cost of living and merit salary increases.