Do Religion and Spirituality in the Workplace Matter?: Concepts, Perspectives, and Implications

Introduction

Over its long history, the study of management and of organizations has not dedicated much attention to religion (Kim, Fisher & McCalman, 2009). The secular nature of daily activities in modern commercial organizations seems far removed from religious considerations. Indeed, the objectives of the study of the two areas have, it has been claimed, diverged to such a point that they cannot co-exist in harmony (Wicks, 2014). This discord between religion and commerce has arisen as a result of several factors. The growth of rationalism coincided with the rise of Scientific Management and consequently research into the rational planning and development of work activities was influenced by secular thinking (Peltonen, 2020). This led to a movement away from faith-based views towards a system based on rational cause and effect governed by empirical scientific methods. Religion was regarded no longer as a central pillar of thinking but considered rather to be merely a private affair with no logical role to play in research into the activities of large corporations which aspire to be objective, scientific, and value-free (Kim, Fisher & McCalman, 2009).

The infrequency with which religious concepts are mentioned in the management and organizational literature can also be attributed to a prevailing view of religion as a taboo topic (Sandelands, 2003; Chan-Serafin, Brief & George, 2013). As a result of different viewpoints among different religions, discussion of religious matters can be divisive and therefore is often avoided (Van Buren et al, 2020).

Recently, however, some have challenged the view that religion and management are incompatible entities, advocating the integration of spirituality and religion research into the study of organizational practice, highlighting connections between religion and aspects of organizational life. Of the various topics discussed in the literature, this chapter focuses on four discrete yet closely related topics: leadership, corporate culture, ethics and employee well-being.

This chapter examines the potential impact of religion in these areas, addresses some of the key questions and issues related to the topic, points out some possible areas of concern, and discusses future directions of research in this area.

The chapter begins by defining and contrasting the concepts of religion and spirituality. This is followed by an examination of the impact of leaders’ life standards and personal values on behaviour in the workplace and a discussion on the search for an integrative, holistic model of leadership incorporating intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral aspects. It then addresses the impact of religious diversity in the workplace in the light of increasing globalization and increased workforce diversity in effectively recognising the needs and challenges of all groups of employees and thereby enhancing employee engagement. Next, the impact of leadership practices on organizational culture is examined. Attention then turns to the impact of religion and spirituality on Business Ethics, addressing ethical standards, self-identity and the relationship between intrapersonal religiosity and ethical behaviour. Subsequently, the role played by religion and spirituality in coping with adversity and stressors in the workplace is examined.