Got Spirituality Questions? Visit A Woman's Journey
for information re topics from Angels to Yoga!
Got
Spirituality Questions? Visit A Woman's Journey
for information re topics from Angels to Yoga!
| Motivational Quotes | Free Spiritual, Religious and Motivational E-Cards |
Spirituality
is Finding a Place in the Workplace
A yearning for a connection with deeper values
manifests itself in many ways
________
| Separation between state and religion used to extend to the
workplace. No more. There is increasing expression of religion, or more
precisely, spirituality, in today's places of work. Why? The unforgettable effects of Sept. 11, 2001, that struck at the epicenter of business created a yearning for a sense of shared community when people leave their families. Grating revelations of corporate fraud and misdeed have led many to question fundamental human motives, turning them back to reaffirmation of basic societal and spiritual values. Our workplaces are more pluralistic on every dimension, including the presence of employees from a broader range of religious and spiritual backgrounds. And then there are the baby boomers who are reaching the apex of their careers, asking, "Is this it?" They're searching for greater meaning in their lives, a big part of which is their life at work. A Gallup poll in 2002 reported that almost 70 percent of Americans yearn to experience spiritual growth, compared with 20 percent in 1994. Theologians talk of the Sunday-Monday gap that can cause tremendous dissonance for some people. On Sunday, their life is rich with spirituality and community giving, but on Monday they might suffer inner conflict if these values and forms of fulfillment are absent, or even contradicted, for the rest of their work week. There are many ways in which spirituality is manifested in work environments. Senior managers across corporate America often bring their faith into the workplace, lacing their language with "I pray that this is the right choice." Or they draw on religious themes, such as faith in a higher power or greater good, to motivate their teams. Many companies support religious affinity groups. Cynthia Cooper, the WorldCom whistle blower who informed on billions of dollars of financial fraud, says that her faith and Christian beliefs gave her the courage to stand up against wrongdoing in her company. To create an inclusive climate for employees of all backgrounds, Texas Instruments has a smattering of "serenity rooms" as employee retreats throughout its headquarters so that they can commune in quiet or connect with each other for prayer, spiritual exchange or dialog about special interests. Even the president sprinkles his speeches with religious reflections and values, frequently speaking of personal prayer and God. Spirituality and religious expression evoke complicated reactions in a workplace. In one survey, 60 percent of executives said they felt positively about spirituality but had a negative view of religion in the workplace. The impact of world events bleeds into the workplace and can trigger hostile reactions to religious expression or backgrounds. Complaints brought by Muslims to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding workplace bias more than doubled in the year following 9/11. Spirituality is also becoming a notable theme in academic research within the business management literature. Even business schools are getting into the act. Some now offer MBA courses on spirituality in the workplace. There's no evidence that more spiritual companies have higher earnings. The question is whether spiritual companies are better companies because of their role in the community and because they are more attractive to employees who feel whole, without a divide between their Sunday and Monday lives. Spirituality can be reflected in human resource values. For example, ServiceMaster, an agglomeration that includes Terminix, TruGreen, ChemLawn and Merry Maids, was built on the values of its founder, who after escaping a sudden fire brought God frequently into his business. A variety of human resources practices followed these values, including stock ownership for all employees and a cap on the wage differential between top and bottom. Other companies draw on their spiritual values to foster bereavement programs, support of the ill or elderly, generous employee assistance programs, benefits that integrate work and family, support for community volunteering, charitable matching programs and an inclusive culture that makes every member welcome regardless of rank, religion, gender, disability, age or ethnicity.
Seattle
Post-Intelligencer
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