Care in the Workplace
by Nicole Martin, CEO, HRBOOST®, LLC.
For years employers have elected to have Employee Assistance Programs, commonly known as EAPs to support employees and their families. Such benefits are recommended and typically offer 24/7 support, but many employers have trouble feeling fulfilled with the utilization. It can often take much internal management support and proactive recommendation to see good utilization. For counseling, referral, and last chance agreements EAPs have been, and will continue to be, a valued employer benefit.
However, many employers are making a shift to chaplains in the workplace. In fact, some of the Best & Brightest® are recognized for such caring programs in the workplace. Like an EAP, chaplains are dedicated to supporting the emotional wellness of employees 24/7. The key difference, however, is that chaplains make regular work-site visits and, upon invitation, make visits to an employee’s home, hospital, nursing facility, funeral home, or even a jail. Confidential conversations with a chaplain may include stress, parenting, marriage, financial concerns, addiction, aging parents, serious illness, grief, and more. The employee always chooses if, when, where, and what to talk to a chaplain about and while faith is a sense of calling with every chaplain they do not preach religion. These can be real differentiators in benefit programs with respect to the intent of leadership expressing care in the workplace. The benefits can range in price based on client size and need, but a company of 100 employees can expect to have 2 to 3 chaplains dedicated to their workforce for approximately $1000.00 per month. Like an EAP, organizations providing chaplain services provide aggregate utilization reports and trend at 40-60% vs. an average of 8%.
In today’s market, it has become increasingly important to differentiate your benefits offering thus providing chaplains in the workplace may be something new to explore with your people. Benefits can include enhanced well being among employees, increased productivity, increased focus and commitment to objectives while at work, and generally people will feel more valued. To learn more, call my friend Tony Guagliardo of Marketplace Chaplains at 224. 321.0841, or visit wwwmchapusa.com.
A real story from someone I know who was touched by a chaplain in the workplace:
My first experience with a chaplain was in the military. It was one of the most valuable experiences of my life.
Just before joining the military, I had gone through an abusive marriage (we were trying to make it work) … after 8+ weeks apart I realized I missed my children terribly but not my husband.
After the initial 6+ weeks at basic training, most enlisted military members go on to technical training school. If the member is in a longer tech program, after approximately 4 weeks the member’s family may join him/her for the remaining duration of the assignment.
It had already been 3-4 weeks into my tech training assignment so time was running out to make a decision.
I couldn’t talk to family because they hated him for hurting me; friends naturally sided with me because they want to support me. I NEEDED an outside, unbiased perspective. I decided to go see the chaplain. I explained the situation and he in turn explained my four basic choices, and the consequences of each choice.
This was exactly what I needed to hear, and I was able to make a decision based on the information he had provided.
Regardless of how difficult that time of my life was, I will forever be grateful for his service that day. It changed my life in ways that I couldn’t have imagined and helped shape the person I am today.
