Spirituality: The Bridge Between Engagement and Resistance in the Workplace

Purpose Of The Study

The purpose of this theoretical article is to explore the role spirituality plays in adult learning in the workplace. The theoretical framework for the study is transformative learning, a framework developed by Mezirow (1997) that impels adults to understand the world in ways that take into account their unique experiences (Erickson, 2007). Mezirow (1997) purports that the change that results from transformative learning is a result of the frames of reference which define the world of adults. These frames of reference include “associations, concepts, values, feelings, [and] conditioned responses” (Mezirow, p. 5), which provide the structure that adults need to understand their experiences (Mezirow, 1997).

At opposite ends of the continuum in adult education in the workplace are engagement in adult learning and resistance to adult learning. This paper addresses the reasons adults are either engaged in learning in the workplace, or whether they find themselves resisting engagement in workplace learning. By employing Mezirow’s transformative learning framework, the researcher illustrates how spirituality in the workplace can provide the bridge between these forces.