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Spirituality at work is increasingly attracting attention in management research, especially in the Anglo-Saxon and Asian contexts. However, for the German context, we know little about spirituality at work from scientific research, and findings and results from other sources are broadly scattered. Using a mixed-methods approach, we collect first findings on employer’s perception of spirituality at work and specific HRM practices in German workplaces. We analyse daily newspapers and related best-practice publications and conduct a small-scale qualitative employer survey in Northern Germany. To structure the results, we propose three main impact perspectives on spirituality in the workplace (workforce diversity, employee needs, and employer capabilities) as well as different employer stances in dealing with these three perspectives, from faith-avoiding to faith-based (Miller & Ewest, 2015). In all three perspectives and stances, companies already implement different HR activities und...
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Conversations about workplace spirituality are becoming more frequent, which is raising the awareness about ethical responsibility. There are intensifying questions about the appropriate definition for the S-word at work place. Some call it religious change, some diversity and others call a mode of marketing for spiritual gurus. However, the growth of workplace spirituality is widely based on one’s personal responsibility towards the building of a mechanistic work environment to enhance spiritual and mental growth. Spirituality needs to be practiced for development of ethical leaders at workplace. Walter Earl Flucker an expert in the theory and practice of ethical responsibility quoted in his work Spirituality, Ethics and Responsibility “Spirituality demands that leaders cultivate and nourish a sense of self that recognizes the interrelatedness of life or a sense of community”. The study has been designed with the perspective to analyse the rising importance of spirituality at workplace. The paper has been divided into five parts: Introduction; Interdependence between Spirituality, Ethics and Business; Spirituality and Workplace: A Contemporary View; Emergence of Virtuous Leaders; and Conclusion. Keywords: Spirituality; Workplace; Ethics; Leadership; Management
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Spirituality and Religion in the Workplace: History, Theory, and Research
Academy of Management Proceedings, 2013
The role of spirituality and religion in the workplace (SRW) is a relatively new area of inquiry that has emerged from scholarly fields not typically associated with the study of the psychology of religion and spirituality. This article explores the underlying assumptions and history as well as the state of current theory and empirical research regarding SRW. We first describe the history of the efforts to integrate spirituality and religion into the workplace, with their foundational roots in the Protestant Work Ethic and their emergence through the Faith at Work movement. Next we review the major theoretical developments in this area that have established a domain of relevant definitions, constructs, frameworks, and models. Then we review the empirical research on spirituality in the workplace and conclude that 2 major streams have emerged that have, to date, discovered similar findings in regard to their significant impact on relevant individual and organizational outcomes. Finally, we explore particular challenges associated with integrative work and future theory building and research.
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In the contemporary business scenario majority of the individuals are in thirst to achieve their spiritual needs and on the other hand due to extreme competitive environment the leaders of the organisation require constructive and positive outcomes from the spiritually boosted employees. This makes it very clear that workplace spirituality is becoming an essential element for both job seekers and job providers. The organisational environment consists of people with diversified values, capabilities, cultures, age groups, nationalities, religions but at the same time it is observed that they have common goal to achieve organisational goals and spiritual needs. This paper deals with in workplace spirituality and corporate culture.
Spirituality in the Workplace: Developing an Integral Model and a Comprehensive Definition
meaning, and a connection to something higher. There d opinions at work really entails, there appear to be a set of common themes that almost all on and an integral d some practical ew paradigm that is emerging in business-Spirituality in the common at almost all sources seem to agree upon. After surveying the current literature in search of these ing the spiritual mindset. ll tion is double than at surveyed four decades ago. (Cited in Barrett, 2004, p. 1) Indeed, the emerging paradigm called "spirituality in the workplace" is conveyed in multiple ways: While chrage (2000) finds that "A fundamental tension between rational goals and spiritual fulfillment now haunts orkplaces around the world," (p. 306), and that "Survey after management survey affirms that a majority want to nd 'meaning' in their work" (p.306), Oldenburg and Bandsuch (1997) state that for quite some time now, mething has been stirring in people's souls: a longing for deeper meaning, deeper connection, greater simplicity, a onnection to something higher. And as Bruce Jentner, president of Jentner Financial Group in Bath, Ohio nderscores the above-mentioned observations by saying, "I have a deep conviction that everybody has a need for mething bigger in life than just making money and going to work" (Goforth, 2001, p. k-2), Kahnweiler & Otte 7) affirm that "work is a spiritual journey for many of us, although we talk about it in different ways" (p.171). Ashmos & Duchon (2000) contribute to the awareness of this paradigm by claiming that there is increasing vidence that a major transformation is occurring in many organizations, and Stewart (2002) exclaims that a survey onducted last spring by the Torrance, California-based human resource strategists Act-1 found that "55 % of the ,000 workers polled consider spirituality to play a significant role in the workplace. In addition, more than a third f that number (34%) said that the role had increased since the September 11, 2001 terrorist acts" (p. 92). A 1999 issue of U.S. News & World Report reveals that "In the past decade, more than 300 titles on orkplace spirituality-from Jesus CEO to The Tao of Leadership-have flooded the bookstores…. Indeed, 30 BA programs now offer courses on this issue. It is also the focus of the current issue of the "Harvard School ulletin." Signs of this sudden concern for corporate soul are showing up everywhere: from boardrooms to company lunchrooms; from business conferences to management newsletters, from management consulting firms to A new awareness has been stirring in workers' souls for at least 10 years now: a longing for a more humanistic work environment, increased simplicity, more are many reasons for this mounting call, varying from the escalating downsizing and layoffs, reengineering, an corporate greed of the 1980s to the enhanced curiosity about eastern philosophies, the aging of the baby boomers, greater influx of women in the workplace, and the shrinking global work village. Straight through the varying about what spirituality sources seem to agree upon. This paper presents a list of these themes; a comprehensive definiti model of spirituality in the workplace, for consideration of future researchers in this field; an strategies for corporate leaders interested in nurturing the spiritual mindset. INTRODUCTION: A RESURGENCE IN AWARENESS This paper presents a brief exploration of a n Workplace. This new awareness has been stirring in workers' souls for at least 10 years now: a longing for a more humanistic work environment, increased simplicity, more meaning, and a connection to something higher. Although there is diversity in opinions about what spirituality at work really entails, there appear to be a set of themes th common themes, this paper presents a comprehensive definition and an integral model of spirituality in the workplace, as well as some practical strategies for corporate leaders interested in nurtur to Morris (1997, p. 7), "Overa Too many people feel unappreciated and insecure in their jobs. According job satisfaction and corporate morale in most places is all time low." Many re-engineering gurus have come to realize that, in their bid to make processes more efficient, they forgot the most essential element of the equation: the people. According to a recent survey of more than 800 mid-career executives, unhappiness and dissatisfaction with work is at a 40-year high. Four out of ten of those interviewed hated what they do. This propor th S w fi so c u so (199 e c 1 o w M B
Spirituality at Workplace: An Essence for the Business
Today's business environment is becoming so challenging and pressurized that there arises a need to create a spiritual workplace in the organisation. Spirituality is " our inner consciousness " (Guillory, 2000). This paper focuses on the core concept of spirituality and its growing role for organisational success. This is a conceptual study and based on observations and secondary sources of data like journals, books, web-sites, newspaper articles. The author has devised a model representing the role of spirituality in organisational success. The devised model establishes a linkage between spirituality at workplace with individual and group level benefits that influences the employees' productivity and organisational performance. Through this study growing role of spirituality at workplace has been highlighted so that management can frame strategies accordingly.