Compassion and perseverance are vital as we navigate today’s interpersonal interactions. It’s fair to say that everyone you encounter is facing a battle you may know nothing about. Whether you lead a team of four or 4,000 employees, their hidden hardships can shape your company’s culture and outcomes.
Addressing sensitive subjects or unspoken needs with genuine support is something key leaders often want to provide but may be limited in undertaking due to capacity, personality, and even conflicts of interest.
However, there is hope! Having a Chaplain in your workplace can be the help you need to extend compassion and healthy pathways for your employees.
When adversities go unspoken and unseen, employees may become irritable, overwhelmed, and even ineffective in their role. As a company you may encourage transparency and a desire to support employees on a personal level, but sometimes the experience of shame or despair feels like too much to bring to your “open door.”
Alternatively, with dedicated Chaplains, employees rest assured that the details of their struggles are held in confidence. A three-minute hallway interaction can result in an employee’s ability to focus the rest of the day. A private meeting scheduled with their Chaplain can give them a safe space to process their anxiety or anger or emotions, at a designated time away from work. There is peace of mind knowing their coworkers or supervisor won’t be watching them step aside to have a tear-filled or heated conversation.
While confidentiality is paramount, regular reporting of frequency and general themes of the care being provided can help management understand the common areas of concern in their workforce. If they learn that a particular stressor is a frequent source of overwhelm for employees, they now have an opportunity to brainstorm other ways the company can offer help.
Chaplains can also help employees gain insight into why sharing their hardships with trusted associates may better their workdays and experience of connection. Oftentimes some practice discussing one’s personal issues with a Chaplain helps the employee put words to what they need from their employer or partners to overcome the battles they’re facing.
There are so many resources surrounding employees today for wisdom and accountability with one’s health, finances, wellbeing, and spirituality. Yet most employees live lives of self-reliance and distraction, which results in low utilization of benefits and tools. Alternatively, when Chaplains consistently pursue connection with a smiling face and 24/7 availability, relationships form that will transform lives.
In some settings, an 8-minute exchange provides a timely voice of hope; and in others it takes eight years of patient pursuit to finally have the employee circle back for support in a time of grief and uncertainty.
Even a simple text with a trusted Chaplain can mean the world to someone in need. Below are four illustrated stories of exceptional employee care that could happen in your company too.
Learn more with this FAQ page, or inquire here to see how you can invite Marketplace Chaplains into a partnership of caring for your employees.
