Skip to main content
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
  • Store
  • Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
SHRM
About
Book a Speaker
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Membership
  • Certification
    Certification

    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    Events & Education

    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    Community

    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Close
  • Membership
  • Certification
    back
    Certification
    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    back
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    back
    Events & Education
    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    back
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    back
    Community
    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Store
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
  • About
  • Book a Speaker
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
SHRM
Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
Close

  1. Topics & Tools
  2. Workplace News & Trends
  3. HR Magazine
  4. HR Magazine - August 2000: Workplace Chaplains
Share
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.


Error message details.

Copy button
Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.


Learn More
Feature

HR Magazine - August 2000: Workplace Chaplains

September 1, 2000 | Lin Grensing-Pophal



HR Magazine, August 2000

Vol. 45, No. 8

Can chaplains help boost employee morale, retention and productivity -- without promoting religion? Some HR professionals say 'yes.'

Imagine coming to work and finding that an employee has lost five family members, including an unborn child, in a tragic car accident. Where would you turn to help the employee cope? Employee assistance programs and bereavement leave policies help, but when this crisis hit an employee of the City of Lufkin, Texas, the city’s director of HR and civil service, David Koonce, had another resource at his disposal: a workplace chaplain.

The chaplain helped the employee find a church for the funeral, set up the service and negotiate a lower price for the funeral and caskets. But most importantly, says Koonce, having a chaplain on hand “put that employee’s mind at ease.”

While workplace chaplains often can be found in police and fire departments, other employers have tended to avoid sponsoring chaplains. But employers that use chaplains say these individuals can act as employee sounding boards, provide counseling, guide employees to other counselors and help in situations ranging from office closures to employee arrests. What’s more, these employers believe, chaplains can help the bottom line by improving morale and retention.

There are at least 4,000 workplace chaplains, also called corporate or business chaplains, in the U.S. today, according to Mark Cress, founder and president of Inner Active Ministries, a nonprofit organization in Wake Forest, N.C., that provides chaplains to businesses. Cress predicts that over the next decade, the number of chaplains serving employers could swell to 30,000.

Do Chaplains Belong at Work?

Some employers are likely to balk at the idea of using a corporate chaplain. “There are still a lot of skeptics in the workplace,” says Gil Stricklin, founder and president of Marketplace Ministries Inc., in Dallas, a not-for-profit organization that provides chaplaincy services to businesses. “If you mention chaplains or religion or faith they say: ‘How can you take religion to the workplace? That’s un-American. We don’t mix religion and work. We don’t mix church and state.’”

One person who casts a skeptical eye on workplace chaplains is Annie Laurie Gaylor, spokeswoman for the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The foundation, based in Madison, Wis., describes itself as an association of freethinkers, atheists and agnostics. “Our concern,” says Gaylor, “would mainly be that there could be workplace pressure, coercion, harassment or a feeling that your job could be endangered” if you disagree with having a workplace chaplain.

Gaylor adds: “I think that religion creates walls between people and that it is divisive in the workplace because everybody has different beliefs. There is this ecumenical idea that we all believe in the same god. Some of us don’t believe in any god at all.”

Martin Rutte, president of Livelihood, a management consulting firm in Santa Fe, N.M., and a co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work (Health Communication, 1996), advises, “HR people need to have their antennae tuned very sensitively to these issues.” He adds that employees may be concerned that chaplains will proselytize or try to impose their religious views on others.

But providers of corporate chaplains say proselytizing should not be a concern. Diana Dale, a chaplain and head of the National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains (NIBIC) in Houston, says that, as a corporate chaplain, “you’re to work interculturally and across faith groups. You’re not there to proselytize or in any way to push your particular orientation even though you’re grounded in your own faith.” This, she points out, is a model that can be traced back to the use of chaplains in military settings.

Stricklin also says religious beliefs shouldn’t become a factor. “People don’t hire us because we’re religious or they’re religious,” he says. “They hire us because they see that we can fulfill a role that no other person on the executive corporate staff is fulfilling. We can do some things that nobody else can do.” For example, a chaplain might go with an employee to traffic court, perform a funeral or marriage service or simply provide encouragement to an employee who’s having a bad day, he says.

Stricklin’s observations are echoed by Heather Butler, HR director for DeKalb Office Environments in Alpharetta, Ga. Butler says the company uses a chaplaincy because “we saw a need that we, as managers, were unable to fill. As director of HR I can’t be all over the place all of the time. Our corporate chaplain has been able to attend funerals of our associates and their children, to help with funeral arrangements and to be present on behalf of the company during the ceremonies.” DeKalb, which employs about 130 people, has used chaplains for about a year.

Like Butler, Koonce appreciates the fact that chaplains can be there for employees when HR can’t. “An organization can’t be hands-on with every employee all the time,” he says. “We have access to them eight to 10 hours a day on the job site, but, when they’re someplace else, they can still access these chaplains.”

Although Butler now endorses chaplaincy programs, at first she was skeptical. “My initial thought was ‘we’re going to have some person walking around spouting fire and brimstone,’” she says.

But she was pleasantly surprised. “Our chaplain doesn’t walk around with a Bible in his hand,” she says. “He doesn’t have a cross. He doesn’t wear a collar. He wears khaki pants and polo shirts with the logo of the organization that he represents. He doesn’t quote scriptures and that kind of thing, or try to convert people. His approach is more on the spiritual or emotional level. It’s really been quite wonderful.”

There is a possibility that some chaplains may bring a level of religious fervor to the workplace that you feel is inappropriate. But with a little due diligence, you can weed out undesirable candidates. (See “Choosing a Chaplain” on page 60.)

Butler recognizes that some employees may be uncomfortable with a workforce chaplain, so she suggests surveying employees to determine whether this is a service they feel they need or want. Some workforces may welcome the added benefits that chaplaincy services can provide; others may not.

In particular, non-Christian employees may feel uncomfortable. In the workplace, employees who are not Christian may feel left out “because the United States is pretty much a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant environment and it’s very difficult for the majority to get the sense of how religion is different” for non-Christian employees, says Nechama Goldberg, a rabbi, HR manager and director of administration and finance at Hebrew College in Brookline, Mass.

Goldberg advises employers to require that workplace chaplains have some training in comparative religions or some experience working with people of different faiths. As an alternative, the employer could consider having a non-Christian religious leader come in from time to time to supplement the chaplaincy program and address the needs of minority religious populations, Goldberg says.

The service providers interviewed for this article offer only Christian chaplains, but claim to be non-denominational and to work with non-Christian employees.

And, Cress adds, “We do network with leaders of other faiths in assisting employees in crisis.”

“If the employee requested it, we’d find [a minister] of another faith,” says Eric Stricklin, a Marketplace Ministries chaplain. For example, when an employee of a Texas firm died suddenly, his widow asked the Marketplace Ministries chaplain to find a Buddhist monk to conduct a service. “We thought we’d have to go to California to find a Buddhist monk, but we found one in Fort Worth,” Eric Stricklin says. “He conducted a 45-minute service and, at the end of it, the chaplain got up and talked about what the employee meant to people.”

A Complementary Benefit

Employers also may worry that hiring a chaplain might infringe on the company’s relationship with its employee assistance program (EAP) provider. But EAPs and chaplains meet different needs, according to Gil Stricklin.

“There are some people who are not going to identify with a chaplain and there are some who are not going to identify with a secular psychologist,” Stricklin says. “There are also some times when I am not qualified to work with a person that has a really deep emotional need, but I do have enough training to recognize that need and recommend help from other resources.”

Cress agrees that EAPs and chaplaincy programs don’t have to be mutually exclusive. “We like to work with EAPs if a company has one,” he says.

“We like to refer into the EAP for the services that they offer, particularly in the areas of substance abuse, financial assistance, long-term grief or domestic counseling.”

In particular, chaplaincy programs seem to become more popular whenever there is a crisis to respond to. “Each time there’s a violence issue in the workplace where someone is shot and killed, for example, we get a number of calls from different parts of the country from companies considering having a chaplain come on board,” Cress says.

Dale says, “Many times I’ve been called in when a company has had either an explosion or a death.”

However, she points out that she is also called in for less threatening situations, such as “when there is a major conflict between two departments or between individuals within a department.” Dale also was called in to help defuse stress when a Houston plant was closing.

Dollars and Sense

Employers who turn to corporate chaplains may do so not only out of concern about their employees’ mental health but also out of a desire to boost productivity, morale and retention.

Koonce says, “If we can reach the employee from a mental health perspective, and use the chaplaincy program to do that, then we believe that will have a positive impact on lost time issues, sick time, personal days off, absenteeism of any sort and health insurance cost reduction. … We’re hoping this program will help us reduce our cost of health insurance and of other types of off-work lost time issues.”

Butler says that DeKalb’s program “shows that the organization cares.” It also seems to pay dividends in terms of recruitment and retention. “I think that, because we have this program in place, we’re considered more progressive and it’s one of the things that we’ve been able to use to attract and retain our associates,” says Butler.

“I can honestly say that it has been very helpful,” says Len Kluft, HR team leader for Storr Office Environments in Raleigh, N.C. “There are just dozens of circumstances over the last two years where [the chaplain] and I have come up with solutions that probably would not have been as good if I had come up with the solutions myself.”

Costs and Confidentiality

Most providers of chaplaincy services charge a flat fee based on the size of the company, the number of employees and the number of shifts worked. Marketplace Ministries, for example, charges organizations based on the number of employees served. Contracts vary from the minimum charge of $210 a month (the smallest company served has only three employees), to the more than $500,000 a year paid by Marketplace Ministries’ largest client, Pilgrim’s Pride, a Pittsburgh, Texas, chicken processing company with 12,000 employees. These charges are reviewed every six months and adjusted to account for increases or decreases in the workforce.

As part of the service provided by Marketplace Ministries, companies receive a detailed report of the services chaplains provide. But the reports to employers don’t breach employee confidentiality.

However, chaplains who learn that an employee broke the law will not keep this information to themselves, Stricklin says. “If an employee tells a chaplain that he was drinking last night and he beat his 5-year-old-boy, that’s a felony and either that employee is going to turn himself in, or the chaplain is going to turn him in,” he says. “There are some issues that are not up for debate in terms of confidentiality.”

Lin Grensing-Pophal, SPHR, is a Wisconsin-based business journalist with HR consulting experience in employee communication, training and management issues. She is the author of The HR Book: Human Resources Management for Business (Self-Counsel Business Series, 1999).

Employee Relations
Global Mindset
Inclusion and Diversity
Job Satisfaction
Religion and Spirituality
Retention

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.



Related Content

Kelly Dobbs Bunting speaks onstage at SHRM24
(opens in a new tab)
News
Why AI+HI Is Essential to Compliance

HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.

(opens in a new tab)
News
A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

(opens in a new tab)
News
How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

HR Daily Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest HR news, trends, and expert advice each business day.

Success title

Success caption

Manage Subscriptions
  • About SHRM
  • Careers at SHRM
  • Press Room
  • Contact SHRM
  • Book a SHRM Executive Speaker
  • Advertise with Us
  • Partner with Us
  • Copyright & Permissions
  • Post a Job
  • Find an HR Job
Follow Us
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • SHRM Newsletters
  • Ask An Advisor

© 2025 SHRM. All Rights Reserved

SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer


  1. Privacy Policy

  2. Terms of Use

  3. Accessibility

Join SHRM for Exclusive Access to Member Content

SHRM Members enjoy unlimited access to articles and exclusive member resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Limit Reached

Get unlimited access to articles and member-exclusive resources.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join to access unlimited articles and member-only resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join the Executive Network and enjoy unlimited content.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join and enjoy unlimited access to SHRM Executive Network Content.

Already a member?
Unlock Your Career with SHRM Membership

Please enjoy this free resource! Join SHRM for unlimited access to exclusive articles and tools.

Already a member?

Your membership is almost expired! Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew now

Your membership has expired. Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew Now

Your Executive Network membership is nearing its expiration. Renew now to maintain access.

Renew Now

Your membership has expired. Renew your Executive Network benefits today.

Renew Now