What Are Marketplace Chaplains & What to Look for in a Service Provider

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What Are Marketplace Chaplains & What to Look for in a Service Provider

If you are an employer, then you absolutely have to understand the importance of your employees’ mental health. For a long time, this has been completely disregarded, but organizations are now increasingly realizing that they have to do their best to promote their employees’ well-being, as that has a great effect on productivity as well. Read more about mental health at work.

So, since employee well-being has become a major concern for companies of all sizes, it is no wonder that some services are arising as the solution to that issue. If any kinds of mental health challenges, such as burnout, rising stress levels, or anything else, go unnoticed and unaddressed, that is sure to reflect on the entire organization. Yet, managers cannot really do all the work themselves, nor would they know how to promote the mental wellbeing of specific individuals, which is why services such as marketplace chaplaincy programs are emerging nowadays as popular solutions.

The fact that you are here tells me that you are interested in marketplace chaplains as well. You want to learn what those are, as well as why it is that you may want to use their services. And then, you also want to get a better idea about how to actually find and choose the right provider of these services in the first place, and that is absolutely another important question that you want to get your answer to right now.

Well, fortunately for you, we are here to provide you with those specific answers that you need. So, if you keep on reading, you will get your facts straight on all of this, and you will undeniably get a better idea about how it all works, why it is so important, as well as what it is that you should look for when choosing the right provider for your organization. So, without any kind of additional ado, let us start providing you with the answers you need.

Read some more about workplace chaplaincy in general: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/positivemediainc_workplacewellbeing-employeecare-chaplaincy-activity-7371678429878022144-y-lx/ 

What Are Marketplace Chaplains?

Okay, we are, clearly, going to begin with the most basic question here. To put things simply, the first thing we have to do is ensure that you actually understand what marketplace chaplains actually are. To cut right to the chase, we are talking about professionally trained caregivers that serve individual employees directly within the actual workplace. We are all used to hearing about chaplains in the contexts of hospitals and faith institutions, as well as military units, but the world is changing, and these professionals are now entering the business scene as well, thus aiming at supporting employees in those environments.

The idea behind these services is for employees to get the support they need at the place where they spend most of their time. That is, at work. The chaplains regularly visit the workplaces, build relationships with the employees, and even offer confidential and one-on-one support when it is needed. As you may have guessed it, their role is certainly not to promote a specific belief system, but to actually care for people as individuals, mentally, emotionally, as well as, when that is suitable and welcomed, spiritually.

So, these professionals are typically trained in active listening and crisis responses. Then, they are, of course, bound by strict confidentiality standards, thus ensuring that the employees’ privacy is protected. Furthermore, they are available on-site and often even on the phone 24/7. And they are, without a doubt, inclusive and respectful of diverse backgrounds, which is another important thing to keep in mind.

Why Use Their Services?

Okay, now that you understand what marketplace chaplains really are, what you want to do next is figure out why it is that you may actually want to use their services in the first place. Well, organizations use these services for practical and people-focused reasons. For one thing, these professionals help support employees’ well-being, which is undeniably a huge plus for every single organization.

For another, they can complement your organization’s HR and EAP programs. They build trust through face-to-face presence, they identify some needs before the problems escalate, and they also refer employees to those EAPs or other professional services when that is necessary. In short, they humanize your existing support system.

We cannot fail to mention that this kind of approach to your employees’ mental well-being is sure to, well, increase the retention rate. People are far less likely to leave if they feel valued and if their emotions are validated, and that is precisely what marketplace chaplains can help with. All of this is going to positively affect the overall workplace culture, and I am sure you get that this is extremely important. And, on top of all this, in addition to serving those first-line employees, the chaplains can support supervisors, leaders and managers when they are under pressure.

What to Look for When Choosing This Service Provider?

Having understood the importance of these professionals, there is only one thing left for you to do here. To put things simply, you want to find the right Marketplace Chaplains service providers to connect you to the right professionals and thus ensure that you are using this service to the fullest. So, what you have to know is what it is exactly that you should look for when choosing these providers. Let us, now, thus, tell you a bit more about that.

For one thing, a reputable provider should ensure that the chaplains are professionally trained and certified, educated and experienced in this type of work. Then, a good provider will have strong confidentiality policies in place, as well as transparent communication about boundaries, and strong ethical guidelines, thus ensuring that the users can trust the program. Of course, you also want a provider that emphasizes inclusivity, matches the chaplains to your workplace culture, and has experience across various industries. And, in the end, you want one that is generally reliable and trustworthy and that will provide these services at fair prices.