While many large, national and international corporations have long been able to access a host of unique employee benefits, recently many smaller U.S. businesses have begun to use one of the newest strategic initiatives, the use of workplace chaplains in their companies.

With the majority of small businesses in America comprised of 50 or less employees, many innovative small business  CEOs have seen that using big company benefits like Marketplace Chaplains USA have aided to the success of their smaller companies and that of the well-being of their employees.

“With a company my size, I’m pulled in a lot of different directions and I’m not always as connected with my employees as I would like,” said Robert Miller, Owner & CEO of Lester Lithograph, Inc., in Anaheim, California. “It’s good to know Marketplace Chaplains are there on a regular basis and available at any time.”

Jim Turnell said the broad reach of having a workplace chaplaincy benefit has been an unexpected benefit to his company, Dallas’ Legacy Print Group, Inc., numbering less than a dozen employees.

“These days I see benefits as not really benefits, but expensive payroll costs; however, I have found Marketplace Chaplains to be a true benefit to my employees and the company.  One of my employees is from Canada and his father recently had a stroke.  Our chaplains not only called and checked on my employee, but they arranged for a chaplain to visit his father in the hospital in Canada.  That’s the kind of intangible benefit that we cannot put a price on,” said Turnell.

Earl Toler of Dallas-based Emergency Ice has found utilizing chaplains is a unique and effective way to helping his 30 employees during times of need, and upholding his company values.

“They’ve helped reaffirm the values of the leadership of our organization to all members of the company. It’s been a great help of coming alongside our employees and letting them know they are not alone,” said Toler.

Atlanta’s Gary Smith and Mark Montini oversee a variety of smaller companies, but said having a chaplain for each has aided their unique workplace structures.

“Marketplace Chaplains has not only offered a unique benefit to team members in need, but has created a sense of pride for the entire team,” said Montini, CEO of m2M Strategies. “From team members in auto accidents to clients who have dealt with tragedy, they have partnered with us to make m2M, ‘different,’ in a special way.

Nationally, Dallas-based Marketplace Chaplains works with 23 different industry types in 2,809 locations, covering 44 states and 928 American cities. The average size of a Marketplace Chaplains client company is less than 200 employees.

“No matter if it’s a larger national or international corporation or one of the numerous smaller companies, company leaders all over America are finding that having a third-party workplace chaplain regularly visit and support their employees can pay large dividends to the companies’ bottom line, but more importantly to the top line, the employees and their family members,” said Marketplace Chaplains President and COO Dick De Witt.