By George Anderson
Businesses are putting chaplains on the payroll and the impact has been uplifting for employee morale and company profits.
A report in The Christian Science Monitor, says companies have recognized that employees bring their problems to work and having a chaplain on hand can help them work through issues. At the same time, they say, it also doesn't put managers in the position of dealing with issues they do not have the expertise to handle.
Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated of Charlotte, N.C., found its test of a chaplain program worked so well that it rolled it out to 58 sites.
Ron Pettus Jr, vice chairman of the company, said, "All objective criteria (productivity, safety, profitability) got better," adding, "two people were talked out of suicide and are leading productive lives; several rocky marriages were reconciled; and many were helped out of financial problems and to resolve issues with their children."
The program worked so well, said Mr. Pettus, employees told the company "they'd take less benefits in order to keep the chaplain program going."
David Miller, executive director of Yale University's Center for Faith and Culture said, "If an employee has a substance abuse problem, or their husband is abusing them at home, or they're going through some trauma, most are not likely to go to the HR department and say, 'Would you just listen to me for a while?' That's where a chaplain fulfills a need."
Tim Embry, CEO of American LubeFast, a chain of 70 oil change stores with 500 employees said having chaplains "has changed the heart and soul of our company." It also, according to Mr. Embry, has reduced shrink, cut employee turnover and made the company profitable.
Moderator's Comment: What are your thoughts on company's having chaplains on staff to address the personal and spiritual issues of employees? - George Anderson - Moderator