Questions & Answers

Here are some answers to common questions.

While an Employee Assistance Program can be an important asset to any employee group, it is often underutilized or unable to address the initial onset of a concern. A dedicated chaplain, often connecting personally with an employee onsite, is frequently able to help identify a potentially problematic issue, facilitate its early resolution, or refer to the EAP provider. Specifically, ViaCordis’ Chaplaincy Services can add benefits beyond a traditional Employee Assistance Program in the following ways:  

  • ViaCordis chaplains build relationships with employees and are available for conversations regarding issues large and small. Often, a small issue never becomes a large one because the chaplain is accessible, personal, and available early on.  

  • ViaCordis chaplains offer an extensive range of personal assistance. These services include hospital visitation, home visitation, jail visitation, and personal encouragement—not only in the workplace, but also by phone and/or email. Chaplain availability also extends to weddings and funeral services.  

  • ViaCordis chaplains attend to individual employees and are committed to regularly being available so as to develop personal relationships with employees, visiting the workplace whenever allowable / beneficial.  

  • ViaCordis chaplains provide a caring, proactive approach to improving the quality of life for the employees and the organization. The chaplain is a person with whom the employee can develop a relationship and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  

  • ViaCordis chaplains help the employee articulate his/her needs and connect with an EAP sooner and more effectively in situations where an EAP referral would be beneficial.

Yes. ViaCordis chaplains are skilled workplace caregivers who are trained in providing care in a diverse environment. Regardless of their faith backgrounds, ViaCordis chaplains can offer relational care and basic human care. If a question of faith is brought to the chaplain, the chaplain will do his or her best to offer assistance and help the employee find answers. If the question refers to a topic about which the chaplain does not have an understanding or is not qualified to speak, the chaplain will then help the employee by offering to assist with referral services. For example, if a Jewish employee asks ViaCordis’ Christian chaplain about a specific doctrinal interpretation, the chaplain would help the employee find a leader within the Jewish community to help answer those questions.

No. While ViaCordis chaplains seek to build relationships with employees with the hope of gaining permission (an employee initiated invitation) to share the life-changing good news of Jesus Christ, in a non-threatening manner, they understand the sensitivities involved in doing so and avoid any activity that would be misconstrued as proselytizing. Instead, they remain sensitive to any needs employees may have. ViaCordis’ chaplaincy approach is based on the military or hospital chaplain model—a neutral, nurturing, and always-available caregiver—and focuses on helping employees and their families better manage and respond to basic, personal life, and work issues. Because it is not an organized religious program, nothing is done that violates religious discrimination, civil rights, or privacy laws.

Before ViaCordis chaplains start to work with an organization, an orientation meeting is held to explain our chaplaincy services and benefits, as well as appropriate ground rules like chaplain confidentiality. At the orientation meeting, employees learn that they—not their employer or the chaplain—make all decisions about interaction. In practice, all or most employees eventually come to appreciate the benefit of having someone safe with whom to talk, and they enjoy a positive relationship with the chaplain simply because the chaplain is there for no other reason than to care.

If someone isn’t open to a conversation, chaplains can simply offer a friendly “Hello.” As chaplains find out about the interests of the employees, they can offer a greeting that’s more personal, but chaplains will not force a relationship or even a conversation. Sometimes it just takes time and consistency for employees to see chaplains as non-threatening and trustworthy.  

Chaplains will need to read each situation and each person, since each is different. Most importantly, chaplains understand that it is the employee who will be leading the chaplain-employee relationship.

Questions & Answers

No. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 19641 prohibits religious discrimination by employers with 15 or more workers. Under Title VII, employers:  

  • May not treat employees or job applicants more or less favorably because of their religious beliefs.  

  • May not force employees to participate in a religious activity.  

  • Must reasonably accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer.  

  • Must take steps to prevent religious harassment of their employees.   ViaCordis chaplains are also familiar with and work within the parameters of the White House Guidelines for Religion in the Federal Workplace. Furthermore, during more than 60 years of corporate chaplaincy history, no organization offering chaplaincy services, nor any chaplaincy agency, has been the target of litigation concerning chaplain care.  

When chaplaincy services are voluntary and non-denominational, they fulfill the positive requirement of enhancing a faith-friendly and diversity friendly environment in the workplace.

While all legal and sociological data shows this to be a far less concern than some might imagine, even still, ViaCordis goes to great lengths to operate with integrity and an abundance of caution so as to protect its employers. ViaCordis understands that the concept of having clergy who serve as chaplains outside of congregational and ecclesial settings is still jarring to some, particularly within the secular (business) workplace. Yet, this form of chaplaincy has persisted over the decades (often called “industrial chaplains”) and is consistently practiced in various modalities in many countries, including the United Kingdom, France and the United States, dating back to the industrial revolution. 

In particular, ViaCordis chaplains avoid any activity that might be misconstrued as proselytizing, religious harassment, discrimination, and quid pro quo, typical EEOC complaints brought forward by employees who feel uncomfortable in such religiously infused organizations. While ViaCordis chaplains seek to build relationships with employees with the hope of gaining permission to share the life-changing Good news of Jesus Christ, in a non-threatening manner, they avoid direct proselytizing and will only engage direct faith related conversations when invited to do so by the employees themselves. Chaplains will in no way coerce employees who do not identify with the Christian faith to adopt the Gospel message, nor will any retaliatory or adverse impact occur as a result of an employee’s election to not “opt in” to the service provided. ViaCordis chaplains will work diligently to mitigate any perceived and/or real risks affiliated with offering such services to employees.

No. ViaCordis’s chaplaincy approach is intentionally non-intrusive, relying heavily upon building relationship rapport through online interactions and invitations to pray. Occasionally, with management approval, ViaCordis chaplains will visit the worksite to briefly connect with employees (relationally) so as to remind them of the availability of chaplaincy care. Typical chaplain-employee interactions last only a few minutes. If the employee desires a more in-depth discussion or requests additional assistance from the chaplain, follow-up conversations are arranged outside of work hours. These arrangements may include sending an email, a phone call, or getting together during a break or at lunch. Additionally, a more in-depth discussion may occur at a neutral location.  

The amount of time a chaplain spends visiting employees in the workplace is dependent upon the number of employees with whom he or she has conversations, as well as the number of business locations being served. If a prolonged visit at the workplace appears necessary, the supervisor’s approval would be required before any such meeting takes place. Usually, only a brief conversation is needed to bring hope, encouragement, and a fresh set of eyes and ears to a problem.

Questions & Answers

Before ViaCordis chaplains start to work with an organization, an orientation meeting is held to explain the chaplaincy services and benefits, as well as appropriate ground rules like chaplain confidentiality. This meeting is similar in tone and function to other benefits orientation meetings with a time for questions and answers. At the end of the orientation, employees receive a business card with the chaplain’s contact information (cell phone number, email, etc.). The chaplain’s contact information is also posted on bulletin boards and listed in other company communication vehicles.  

While chaplains can officiate wedding ceremonies and funeral services, their primary role goes much further.  

As chaplains build relationships with employees, they are available to help employees deal with issues both proactively and reactively. When an employee wants to talk, chaplains are happy to listen. Chaplains understand the importance of building trust through conversations about day-to-day issues, as well as being there to listen and offer assistance with more serious matters, such as: hospital care, family and marriage care, substance abuse, stress management, and interpersonal conflicts. Ideally, the chaplain-employee interaction occurs before these issues get to a stage where they involve crisis management. In the event of an acute need, chaplains are privileged to enter jail facilities, emergency rooms, and accident scenes.

Generally, each week, the chaplain will reach out to the employees who’ve opted to engage the chaplaincy services, offering a word of encouragement and inviting support through prayer. Occasionally, and with management approval, chaplains will visit the worksite and have a brief personal interaction with every employee who desires it. While providing an uplifting moment of encouragement, the chaplain will build relationships with the employees. Additionally, employees can call their chaplain any time (24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year) to get help with personal crisis management.

The chaplains are available via a cell phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Because chaplains consistently reach out with encouraging messages and an invitation to pray for any particular needs, employees often ask for assistance directly. Chaplains can always be contacted via email and/or their mobile number to ensure an expedient response. As they come to know the employees, there are very few barriers to initiating a discussion and following up with regards to any concerns.

Questions & Answers

ViaCordis chaplains will not provide counseling services, but they will provide care for those who are in need of professional counseling by helping connect them with a suitable counselor, either from the employer’s insurance network or from the chaplain’s own referral network.  

ViaCordis chaplains make very clear through both their written and verbal communication, as well as informal conversations, that they are not counselors and that they do not do counseling. ViaCordis chaplains do emphasize how there is a positive, complementary relationship with counselors through referrals. In this sense, chaplains are more inclined to play a similar role to that of a local pastor, priest, or rabbi in the care spectrum versus a professional counselor, triaging the situation and need and making the appropriate referrals. Just as local leaders within the faith community need to know when to refer someone to professional counselors, ViaCordis chaplains do the same.  

Much like family practice doctors refer patients to specialists for a variety of different issues, chaplains serve as generalists who are there to help employees know where to find the resources they need in order to help them deal with a variety of issues. Unlike a counselor, a chaplain will rarely meet with an employee to discuss the same issue beyond three or four visits. By interacting with employees on a regular basis, chaplains can help them address issues while they are still small. If issues grow larger, chaplains can facilitate the decision to seek counseling and find resources from any number of specialists in the community. Corporate chaplains are comfortable as the generalists, knowing that counselors are the specialists.  

In the event that an ViaCordis chaplain is also a trained counselor, an employee receiving care may move from what is covered by chaplaincy to what is covered through counselor care by following an agreed upon protocol for such situations.  

When people use the words “chaplain” and “counselor” interchangeably, a chaplain is happy to clarify the difference. They can explain the complementary natures of each profession while highlighting their unique areas of service.  

There are several benefits to outsourcing chaplain care. First, outsourcing is more cost effective than hiring a full-time staff person. Second, chaplaincy organizations offer a support network that gives the client organization access to other trained, experienced professionals. Finally, outsourcing chaplaincy services provides greater confidentiality and objectivity.  

Still, based on the particular needs, goals and unique culture of any individual business, management may elect to identify a key in-house representative to serve as a primary contact through whom ViaCordis Chaplaincy Services may be funneled. The primary goal is to avail extraordinary employee care. If designating such an in-house representative is deemed as the most productive and/or efficient way to accomplish this, ViaCordis enthusiastically affirms the move and will morph its delivery system to accommodate the preference.

Faith-friendly organizations essentially regard faith/spirituality as one of the central identity markers and human characteristic that employees have and bring to work. As such, it includes creating a holistic and welcoming atmosphere so that people can be their whole selves at work – including their faith identity, of whatever nature or worldview, from various forms of theism to atheism. In contrast, a faith-based organization is one that articulates and endorses a specific faith tradition, often privileging it over others, such that it might regard itself as a Christian company.  

While ViaCordis chaplains seek to build relationships with employees with the hope of gaining permission to share the life-changing Good news of Jesus Christ, in a non-threatening manner, we advise caution in framing a business as being faith-based, because it risks issues of discrimination, harassment, and disengagement by employees who are not of the specified faith, and may create a culture that could give rise of EEOC complaints. Such organizations might fall under one emerging strand of workplace spirituality within evangelical Christianity referred to as BAM (Business as Mission), where the primary purpose of business is a conduit for evangelization or a way to reach people for Christ. While we affirm the intent of such efforts, we recognize the increasing hostility faced by most businesses in an increasingly diverse marketplace, especially in the California landscape, and suggest a more sophisticated approach, commensurate with the complexities of this day.  

Again, while a faith-based approach may prove beneficial for certain organizations, we contend that this philosophy of ministry can subtly close doors that would otherwise be open to God’s influence. It often operates from a fairly narrow view of the good God intends to accomplish in our world and derives from an emaciated rather than a robust theology of work, diminishing the impact potential of Christ-followers in the marketplace.  

Our effort attempts to provide a more refined and nuanced approach to the increasingly diverse and complex marketplace in today’s society, believing that our abundant loving God desires human flourishing and common good and will work through the witness of quality workers in a variety of ways, not just direct proselytizing. Thus, while we are uncompromisingly committed to the advance of Christ’s Gospel in the world, we believe that involves all of the good God desires to accomplish…for the Christ-follower and all of creation (see COL 3:23-24; EPH 3).

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