Workplace spirituality or spirituality in the workplace is a movement that began in the early 1920s. It emerged as a grassroots movement with individuals seeking to live their faith and/or spiritual values in the workplace. Spiritual or ''spirit-centered'' leadership is a topic of inquiry frequently associated with the workplace spirituality movement.
History
The movement began primarily as U.S. centric but has become much more international in recent years. Key organizations include:
* International Center for Spirit at Work (ICSW)
* European Baha'i Business Forum (EBBF)
* World Business Academy (WBA)
* Spiritual Business Network (SBN)
* Foundation for Workplace Spirituality
Key factors that have led to this trend include:
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Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of companies, other business organizations, or their operating units are transferred to or consolidated with another company or business organization. As an aspect ...
destroyed the
psychological contract
A psychological contract, a concept developed in contemporary research by organizational scholar Denise Rousseau,Rousseau, D. M. (1989). Psychological and implied contracts in organizations. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 2: 121-139 ...
that workers had a job for life. This led some people to search for more of a sense of inner security rather than looking for external security from a corporation.
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Baby Boomers
Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the Western demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964, during the mid-20th century baby boom. ...
hitting middle age resulting in a large demographic part of the population asking meaningful questions about life and purpose.
# The
millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
created an opportunity for people all over the world to reflect on where the human race has come from, where it is headed in the future, and what role business plays in the future of the human race.
In the late 1990s, the Academy of Management formed a special interest group called the Management, Spirituality and Religion Interest Group. This is a professional association of management professors from all over the world who are teaching and doing research on
spirituality and
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
in the workplace.
Theories
Different theories over the years have influenced the development of workplace spirituality.
*Spiritual Leadership Theory (2003): developed within an intrinsic motivation model that incorporates vision, hope/faith, and altruistic love
*
Social Exchange Theory
Social exchange theory is a sociological and psychological theory that studies the social behavior in the interaction of two parties that implement a cost-benefit analysis to determine risks and benefits. The theory also involves economic relation ...
(1964): which attempts to explain the social factors which affect the interaction of the person in a reciprocal relationship
*Identity Theory (1991): claims a connection between workplace spirituality and organizational engagement
Examples
The International Center for Spirit at Work offers examples of workplace spirituality including:
[From the 2008 International Spirit at Work Award Application, p. 2).]
* "Vertical" spirituality, transcending the day-to-day and developing connectedness to a god or spirit or the wider universe. This might include meditation rooms, accommodation of personal prayer schedules, moments of silence before meetings, retreats or time off for spiritual development, and group prayer or reflection.
* "Horizontal" spirituality, which involves community service, customer service, environmentalism, compassion, and a strong sense of ethics or values that are reflected in products and services.
See also
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Benefit corporation
In the United States, a benefit corporation (or in several jurisdictions including Delaware, a public-benefit corporation or PBC) is a type of for-profit corporate entity, authorized by 35 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, that includ ...
*
Dominic Steele, ministry includes workplace Bible groups
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Swami sukhabodhananda, nicknamed "the Corporate Guru"
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John Sentamu, advocate for faith in the workplace
*
Workplace Religious Freedom Act The Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA) is a proposed amendment to title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which would limit employers' discretion to decline to accommodate the religious practices of their employees or prospective employees in ...
, 2005 US bill requiring employers to make reasonable accommodation for an employees' religious practice or observance
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A Practical Reference to Religious Diversity for Operational Police and Emergency Services
References
Sources
* Benefiel, M. (2005). ''Soul at work: Spiritual leadership in organizations.'' New York: Seabury Books.
* Biberman, J. (Ed.).(2000). ''Work and spirit: A reader of new spiritual paradigms for organizations''. Scranton, PA: University of Scranton Press.
Bowman, T.J. (2004). ''Spirituality at Work: An Exploratory Sociological Investigation of the Ford Motor Company''. London School of Economics and Political Science* Fairholm, G.W. (1997). ''Capturing the heart of leadership: Spirituality and community in the new American workplace.'' Westport, CT: Praeger.
* Fry, L.W. (2005). Toward a paradigm of spiritual leadership. ''The Leadership Quarterly, 16''(5), 619-722.
* Giacalone, R.A., & Jurkiewicz, C.L. (2003). ''Handbook of workplace spirituality and organizational performance.'' New York: M.E. Sharpe.
* Jue, A.L. (2006). Practicing spirit-centered leadership: Lessons from a corporate layoff. In Gerus, C. (Ed.). ''Leadership Moments: Turning points that changed lives and organizations.'' Victoria, BC: Trafford.
* Miller, D.W. (2006). ''God at work: The history and promise of the faith at work movement.'' New York: Oxford University Press.
* Palmer, Parker J. (2000) Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Ch 5 "Leading from Within." .
* Russell, Mark L., ed. (2010). ''Our Souls at Work: How Great Leaders Live Their Faith in the Global Marketplace.'' Boise: Russell Media.
* Marques, Joan, Dhiman, Satinder, and King, Richard, ed. (2009) ''The Workplace and Spirituality: New Perspectives on Research and Practice'' SkyLight Paths, Woodstock, VT.
* N.T., Sree Raj. (2011). Spirituality in Business and Other Synonyms: A Fresh Look at Different Perspectives for its Application, 'Purushartha' A Journal of Management Ethics and Spirituality Vol.IV, No.II, pp 71–85
* Mitroff, I.I, and Denton, E.A. (1999) A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America, A Hard Look at Spirituality, Religion, and Values. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Further reading
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Business Week, June 5, 2005. "Companies hit the road less traveled: Can spirituality enlighten the bottom line?"
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External links
''Spirituality in the Workplace - The Living Organization''Catholic Servant LeadershipFoundation for Workplace SpiritualityGlobal Dharma CenterInternational Center for Spirit at WorkThe High Calling of Our Daily WorkTheology of Work ProjectFaith and Work Initiativewww.theologyofwork.orgDenver Institute for Faith & Work
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