The Results Are In: 73% of Companies Do Not Employ a Workplace Chaplain

In January, we polled our readers about whether or not their companies have a workplace chaplain and with 73% of the votes, the vast majority of respondents reported that they did not have access to a chaplain at their company. However, among that group, the sentiment was split on whether or not a workplace chaplaincy is even necessary. Here’s a full breakdown of the results:

Does your company have a workplace chaplain?

  • 40% said “No, a workplace chaplain is not appropriate/necessary.”
  • 33% said “No, but I wish we did.”
  • 16% said “Yes, they are an important part of our culture.”
  • 4% said “Yes, but I don’t think a workplace chaplain is appropriate/necessary.”

Additionally, 7% selected the “Other” option and submitted their own thought on the question, including:

  • I think that having an employee dedicated to support is helpful and productive.
  • Our general manager is an ordained Doctor of Divinity and offers services as needed.
  • We have a licensed psychologist on-call.
  • I love the concept, but we’re too small to employ a chaplain.
  • I always have someone to pray with at work.

More than One Way to Provide Support
A full-time chaplain may not be the right solution for every company wanting to provide support and counseling services for their employees. Depending on a variety of factors like financial resources or company culture, other options to consider include:

  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
    EAPs are benefit programs provided by companies for their workforces that are designed to help employees with both personal and work-related challenges, like mental health, stress, addiction, trauma counseling, and more.
  • Co-worker Support Groups
    A more informal approach, many companies allow for employees to form co-worker support groups that may address a broad range of issues from spiritual counseling to the loss of a loved one.
  • Flexible Scheduling
    If a company doesn’t provide any type of employee support programs at work, allowing for more flexible scheduling is one approach to make it easier for employees to get the help they need from an outside source.

What are some ways your company provides support and counseling to its employees? Let us know in the comments section below.

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