Hearing co-workers say they have a chaplain to help them work out issues on the job is becoming more common than one might expect, according to Mark Cress, president of Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA).
He says chaplains in the workplace are fast becoming a personalized service that companies of all sizes are calling upon.
"Does Your Company Have Divine Guidance?" is one of the workshops to take place during the 65th annual Truckload Carriers Assn. Convention, March 9-12, in Orlando, Fla.

Cress, who founded the corporate chaplains' organization, will discuss how transportation companies can get divine guidance. The workshop will be presented on Sunday, March 9 and Monday, March 10 during the Trucking in the Round series.
The Wall Street Journal published an article that said, "Police and fire departments, hospitals and military have long had chaplains, but after Sept. 11, their role in the corporate world took on much greater significance."
Chaplain services are vying to set a new standard in worker effectiveness. Owners, managers and employees now cite important, although unexpected benefits of chaplains in the workplace.
Chaplains are professionals committed to reducing employee stress, helping employees deal with personal and family emotional issues, and easing potential violence and conflict in the workplace, with a focus on bringing improvement to a company's bottom line. The key is to provide employees with a resource so they don't have to go it alone in difficult times. Chaplains help managers deal with the delicate personal situations that employees bring to work.
"Our performance as corporate chaplains over the past several years has been good for HR managers, business owners, employees, and in many cases their families. Business is discovering the profound effects of extending kindness and caring toward employees," says Cress. "When companies show they care, it means a lot to their employees."
CCA chaplains make weekly rounds to visit with, care for, encourage and listen to their clients' employees. Positive results are based on more than techniques. The work is grounded in trust, respect and a genuine caring relationship with people. They bring a spiritual component to the work they do because they believe people are spiritual in essence. People can subdue it or ignore it, but they cannot separate themselves from it.
Businesses can hold reservations about the "R" word -- religion. It has not, however, proven to be an issue. Something must be working since there are an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 chaplains actively serving American businesses today, and their ranks are growing, according to Cress. A Gallop Poll showed that 66% of the people surveyed said that if they needed a mental health professional, they would prefer going to one with spiritual values and beliefs. More than 80% preferred to have their own values and beliefs integrated into their counseling process. The fees for chaplains are reasonable, and combined with measurable results, make them attractive. CCA considers itself an organization that cares for businesses.
"Companies hire us, but we work for individuals, so they can get back to productive living and clear thinking," says Cress.
One way for companies to handle issues of stress and worker disconnect is to maintain a process that engages workers on a regular basis in order to head off and/or minimize lost productivity. In a time where many enterprises are collapsing and uncertainty seems to be spreading, contagious character, robust spiritual outlook and integrity might be an answer -- something some businesses are learning quickly.