Many companies are discovering the human resource and bottom-line benefits of having a corporate chaplain on their premises on a regular basis, and available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in case of an emergency, crisis, or other need.
Chaplain-based Employee Assistance Programs (or CAPs) enable employers to take care of their greatest assets—their employees.
A CAP is a personal, voluntary benefit available to employees and their immediate family members or members of their households. It is sponsored by the company, but provided by a chaplaincy provider.
Features of a CAP include:
- Support for employees that costs them nothing
- Ongoing, accessible, personal care available to all employees and their household members
- Confidential help from a neutral support person who is outside the company
It’s Not About Religion
Because chaplaincy and spirituality often go hand-in-hand, there are some common misperceptions and fears about Chaplaincy Assistance Programs. But there’s no need to be afraid. Chaplaincy is not about pushing religion in the workplace; rather, it’s about personal care for people regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
This is not to say corporate chaplains don’t talk about faith. Indeed, if an employee initiates and invites a conversation about faith, a chaplain will engage. But if that invitation has not been made, a chaplain simply operates as a life coach, listening, encouraging, advising on practical matters, and helping the employee or their family member deal with life’s pressures in a healthy way.
Corporate chaplains follow the Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace. In 60 years of corporate chaplaincy, with over 6,000 (and growing) corporate chaplains nationwide, there has never been a court case contesting this institution.
