What Is Workplace Spirituality?
Created | Updated Jan 12, 2016
A recent study of the concept identified three factors: interconnection with a higher power, interconnection with human beings, and interconnection with nature and all living things. Organizations that promote a spiritual culture recognize that employees have both a mind and a spirit, seek to find meaning and purpose in their work, and possess a desire to connect with other employees and be part of a community. Why the emphasis on spirituality in today’s organizations? Historical management models had no room for spirituality.
These models typically focused on organizations that were efficiently run without feelings toward others. Similarly, concern about an employee’s inner life had no role in managing organizations. But just as we’ve come to realize that the study of emotions improves our understanding of how and why people act the way they do in organizations, an awareness of spirituality can help one better understand employee work behavior in the twenty-first-century organization.
What does a spiritual organization look like? The concept of spirituality draws on the ethics, values, motivation, work/life balance, and leadership elements of an organization. Spiritual organizations are concerned with helping employees develop and reach their full potential. They’re also concerned with addressing problems created by work/life conflicts.