Interview with Alan Tyson, Tyson Foods

Interview with Alan Tyson, Tyson Foods
November 2005

In November, 2005 I had the honor of interviewing Alan Tyson, of Tyson Foods (no family relation), Tyson's head chaplain and director of their chaplaincy program. The following is the majority of our conversation. NOTE: Because I didn't record our conversation to get word for word responses, I simply summarized Alan's answers, but confirmed them via email with him for accuracy.

Kim: Tell me a little about yourself

Alan: Was an Army Chaplain for 23 years. Worked at a poultry company for five years as a chaplain, and came to Tyson in 1998. At that time they did away with the chaplaincy program, and then about five years ago, the leadership within the company changed and John Tyson, the grandson of the Tyson family, reviewed the past years and how the chaplaincy program had been effective. He decided to bring it back. The company officially endorsed the chaplaincy program and hired me to become the director. The company has officially endorsed chaplains for five years although there were some on plant level before that.

Kim: How does the chaplaincy work at Tyson?

Alan: Generally, the chaplain team at a plant matches demographics of that plant, both ethnically and linguistically. Some plants may have one chaplain, others have as many as four or five. The company figures that there will be a need for four hours of chaplain service per two hundred team members. So if a plant has a thousand people, there will be a need for about twenty hours of chaplain service per week. The chaplaincy is a ministry of presence and availability. Chaplains are not strangers to the team members. It is a proactive employee assistance program on a spiritual level.

Kim: What is the process for hiring chaplains?

Alan: When a local plant wants to establish a chaplaincy program, the company will hire local ministers who are interested in becoming company chaplains. They will be employed by the company, and paid by the local plant’s budget. Usually they will be paid 15-25/hr. After one year of service as a part time team member they will be eligible for participation in the 401k and the Employee Stock Purchase Program. They may have to work odd hours because some plants are 24 hour plants.
When a chaplains are hired, they will go to their local plant to go through an orientation which acquaints them with Tyson policies, safety issues in a plant, and other general items. This usually lasts a day. They are also given a Chaplain’s SOP they must read and study. The chaplains directly report to the local human resources manager at a plant, and indirectly reports to me as the Chaplaincy director. They are observed for ninety days, and have a direct link to the main office through video conferencing. There is also an annual two and a half day event for all the chaplains in the company as ongoing training.

Kim: What have been the positive effects of the chaplain program?

Alan: It is a very positive program. The Tyson company does not make chaplains justify from the bottom line. They do it as a service for their people. It has had a positive effect on morale and decreased turnover. There are currently 127 chaplains in 78 production facilities all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Tyson employees 114,000 team members, and the company views this as making an extra step to serve them. In turn, the team members are very appreciative of the effort the company makes.

Kim: Have you seen any negative consequences to the program? Any litigation issues?

Alan: No negative consequences. No litigation. The company trains chaplains and chooses people who fit model they need for the workplace.


Kim: How do you deal with interfaith issues?

Alan: Most of the chaplains that work for the company are Christian although there is one Muslim Imam and the company is looking for others. Some plants have a high percentages of Muslims and they can be accommodated for prayer time and other faith issues. At a specific plant where there is a majority of a particular faith, the company employs someone of that faith. However, the company has found that many people who talk to the chaplains simply need someone to talk to. They don’t always come to them for religious advise. They talk about finances, family life, and other stresses. Most chaplains do not have offices but can find privacy if needed. Generally chaplains do not conduct church services, but some lead prayer groups before work or over a lunch break. Most of those types of things would be off the clock.

Kim: How does the union effect the program?

Alan: Chaplains work for the company, and they serve in both union and non union plants. They do not represent either side. For example, in one particular plant there was recently a strike. The chaplains were instructed to be available team members on both sides of the picket lines, and remain neutral. They were not to take either side. Chaplains are there simply there for the people who work in the plant.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Midsouth Chaplains blog.

Corporate chaplaincy is a new and upcoming segment of employee assistance in the United States. After considering the program many people find it's just what they need to make thier employees feel valued and appreciated. My purpose here is to make available various articles and information on the net that explains and promotes corporate chaplaincy. If you have questions, comments, or would like to discuss the topic, email me at - Kim@midsouthchaplains.com.