Why Offer Chaplain Services within the Workforce?

Businesses regularly apply preventative maintenance strategies and programs to their machines, vehicles and other capital equipment, but what about to their most valuable asset…their employees?

Business savvy leaders are seeing that satisfied employees are really the company’s only asset which truly determines the future trajectory of their business.

So how satisfied are employees today?

Research shows people are more disconnected than ever before as our nuclear family units are separated, often living long distances from extended family and friends, and our growing reliance on social technology rather than face-to-face interaction is thought to be making us feel more isolated. It means people feel less connected to others and our relationships are becoming more superficial and less rewarding. We are social animals and need to feel that we “belong” to others and to feel connected to one another. Social pain is as real a sensation for us as physical pain; researchers have shown that loneliness and rejection activates the same parts of the brain as physical pain.

Recent studies also show growing commute times are taking a toll on job satisfaction as well as increasing anxiety and feelings of isolation.  Average commute times are on the rise in the US, increasing by 20% since 1980. Add to that the breakdown of the family with the high rate of divorce, single family parenting, both parents working to make ends meet, and the complications of blended families; it’s easy to see why today’s employees are stressed out! And they bring all that stress and negative emotion with them to work.

Personal Issues People Bring to Work:

• Marriage/Divorce
• Family/Children
• Caring for Aging Relatives
• Health issues/Illness
• Death/Grief management
• Education
• Financial
• Substance Abuse
• Addiction/Recovery Issues
• Morality/Ethics
• Job Related Issues
• Stress/Anxiety
• Discouragement
• Faith Issues
• Depression

Costly Consequences:

• Dissatisfied workforce
• Absenteeism ($789 per EE per year)
• Low Morale
• Safety Compromises
• Turnover (2-4 x salary per incident)
• Low Productivity
• Theft/Fraud ($4500 per EE)
• Personal Conflicts (Managers spend 9 weeks per year handling)
• Unhappiness
• Disengagement (Loss of $10,000 in profit annually per disengaged EE)
• Presenteeism (the practice of coming to work despite illness, injury, anxiety, etc., resulting in reduced productivity and costing businesses ten times more than absenteeism)

Although most workers spend 60% or more of their waking hours in the work environment, spending more time with co-workers than family, employees are reluctant to ask company officials for help with personal problems; and if they do, management does not have the time or training to provide effective solutions.

Recent employee surveys show that 70% are not affiliated with traditional support organizations and do not have a relationship with a pastor, priest or rabbi; 60% have trouble focusing on task, 44% say the job is more stressful, and 46% of workers that leave a company voluntarily do so because they “don’t feel valued.” Gallup’s 2017 “State of the American Workplace” in-depth employee survey found that only 33% of American workers are engaged at work, meaning they love their jobs and try to do their best every day.  “At the other end, 16% of employees are actively disengaged—they are miserable in the workplace and destroy what the most engaged employees build,” wrote Jim Clifton, Gallup Chairman/CEO.  “The remaining 51% of employees are not engaged—they’re just there. These figures indicate an American leadership philosophy that simply doesn’t work anymore. One also wonders if the country’s declining productivity numbers point to a need for major workplace disruption.”

Chaplains provide a personalized and proactive employee care service. They make regularly scheduled worksite visits to develop relationships of trust and confidence, and are available 24/7, nationwide delivering help, hope, care and compassion. Employees choose if, when, where, and what they want to talk about, and all conversations with a chaplain are strictly confidential.

For centuries, Congress and the Military have had Chaplains, and other organizations such as Police and Fire Departments, Sports teams, Senior Living Communities, and Prisons have a long history of Chaplain care. And now many visionary CEOs and company leaders are seeing the value of caring for their only asset which will last…their employees and their family members.

Anticipated Benefits of Chaplain Care Teams:

• Improves Attitudes, Teamwork, Morale and Satisfaction
• Increases Loyalty, People feel Cared for and Valued
• Increased Commitment to Goals and Objectives
• Reduces Employee Conflicts
• Reduces Stress
• Improves Workplace Safety
• Undergirds Corporate Culture
• Decreases Absenteeism and Presenteeism
• Increases Productivity
• Reduces High Turnover
• Increases Employee Engagement
• Develops Spiritual/Emotional Wellness