This year, 17 percent of U.S. employees will encounter personal crisis, and employees will bring personal problems to work, contributing to a 30 percent loss in productivity, cites Corporate Chaplains of America.
One way we at Display Pack address the adverse effects personal crisis can have on productivity is by retaining the services of Corporate Chaplain Bob DeWeese. Employed by North Carolina-based Corporate Chaplains of America, DeWeese spends 40 hours a week making rounds, building relationships and offering pastoral care to the company’s hundreds employees.
DeWeese was assigned to Display Pack in January 2006. Since then, he has made more than 38,000 contacts with employees, held 229 care sessions, lifted employees up in prayer, and led five employees in making a faith decision for Christ, according to a monthly report DeWeese submits to company president, Victor Hansen.
“Ultimately, we want to reach people’s hearts, and provide them with the opportunity to have a life-changing experience,” says Hansen of the company his father founded 45 years ago. “That’s hard to do when life’s problems interfere with job performance. At times there can be barrier between management and employees when it comes to sharing personal problems. A corporate chaplain provides a neutral, third-party point of contact for employees to confidentially share and work through life’s difficulties.”
Under strict confidentiality between him and the employee, DeWeese talks with employees who are on the job and schedules personal appointments at a worker’s request. He’s helped employees with immigration issues, budgeting, premarital guidance, drug and alcohol abuse and parenting issues. He makes hospital visits and has even officiated a wedding between two employees. He is also available to officiate at family funerals. He’s available 24 hours a day by pager. His chaplaincy services are offered free to Display Pack employees and their families.
DeWeese has a seminary degree and is an ordained minister. He also has 154 hours of certification training through CCA, 10 years of church ministry experience and seven years of non-church work experience.
While the goal isn’t to convert employees to Christianity, DeWeese is available for spiritual caregiving and prayer, welcoming the opportunity to share with employees about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And DeWeese understands that employees are “on the clock” and that work takes priority, so he’s there to offer care when the employee is ready.
According to CCA’s website, “A large percentage of people today do not have any relationship with a church or other organized religious group. Often rushed for time, their beliefs and personal needs take a back seat to the meetings, deadlines, and agendas of the workplace. Yet, the problems at home don’t go away…they are simply brought, as emotional baggage, to work each day.”
Display Pack
Founded in 1967, Display Pack is a company known for its commitment to finding a solution for every customer’s unique need. A privately owned manufacturer of consumer packaging, Display Pack offers Single Source Solutions® that manage the entire packaging process from start-to-finish. Display Pack offers Package Design; Prototyping, Tooling; Printing, Die-Cutting; Thermoforming; Contract Packaging; and Warehousing and Logistics. Industries served include: electronics, household products, bath & beauty aids, food, hunting, fishing and other outdoor and indoor sports, as well as a wide array of other consumer goods.
About Corporate Chaplains of America
Corporate Chaplains of America employs full time, long term, career chaplains who combine workplace experience with professional chaplaincy training. In addition to holding seminary level or higher degrees, all chaplains pursue certification through 154 hours of continuing education within the first year of tenure. Founded in 1996, the organization employs 100 full-time chaplains in 22 states, 310 companies, 550 locations and to 75,000 employees.
More information is available at www.chaplain.org. A three-minute video about the organization is available atwww.chaplain.org/ccainfo/.