Corporate Chaplains of America

CAP vs EAP

Chaplain Assistance Program Analysis

Comparison of Full-Time Chaplain versus Part-Time Chaplain:

Ability of chaplaincy agency to spend heavily on initial training

Someone electing to serve as a part time chaplain cannot easily leave his or her regular job to attend substantial initial training. Process training systems are expensive to establish and maintain, therefore it is almost impossible for an agency to afford the travel, training and lodging expenses associated with training long-term career-oriented chaplain personnel. Make sure you ask the person representing any chaplaincy agency about actual number of days and hours of classroom and field training your chaplain will have.

Ability of chaplaincy agency to invest in ongoing continuing education training for the chaplain

Chaplains are dealing with employee problems every day and sometimes are encountering new and challenging situations for which they may need new and enhanced training. A system of frequent and structured continuing education training is essential to keep your chaplain fresh and emotionally able to serve. All caring professionals need time away from the field of service to “let their hair down” with others serving in the same capacity. Corporate Chaplains of America takes all chaplains out of the field a minimum of three times per year for a time of quality group continuing education and team building exercises.

Conflicting loyalties

Full time career workplace chaplains give their lives to the service of employees. Because Corporate Chaplains of America chaplains have no competing job responsibilities, when an employee in crisis pages them, they respond without having to ask a boss or supervisor of another job for permission to leave. Corporate Chaplains of America does not allow its career chaplain workforce to hold second jobs or operate businesses on the side. When an employee calls, they can respond without hesitation. As a matter of fact, we promise to respond to all pages within ten minutes, guaranteed!

Accountability

A part time chaplain serving alone in a market may not have the safety net of accountability that is built into every Corporate Chaplains of America career chaplain position. Serving as a workplace chaplain should be a career and not simply a “holy hobby”. The chaplaincy agency must be able to build systems of leadership accountability into the program. This is nearly impossible when one part time person is assigned to manage another part-time person, or when there is no leadership person available.

Turnover

Building relationships with employees is an ongoing and long-term proposition. When the care giving gets tough, a person serving in a part time capacity may simply throw up his hands and quit. Or he may be transferred by his full time position. When this happens, the relationship building process is breached. Corporate Chaplains of America personnel statistics show chaplain turnover to be the absolute lowest in the entire industry.

Not just a car payment

Many times very well meaning and caring retirees serving as part time chaplains are basically just working to “make a car payment” or to supplement their pensions. This is not the proper foundation for building a solid workplace chaplaincy program. Full time, career, long term workplace chaplains are dedicated to a calling and not simply a monthly supplement.

A few things to consider before placing a chaplain on your staff as a company employee

The chaplain should always be an independent third party. There are many potential liability pitfalls that surround having a company employee as a chaplain. The company should never place itself in the position where the employees think that the chaplain could be compelled to break confidentially by a superior at the company. The company should view the chaplain as an independent contractor capable of being objective and private in the context of employee relationships. Other matters to consider include how the company will recruit, train, and manage the chaplain. Additionally, how will the company deal with continuing education training and chaplain accountability?

CAP vs. EAP