Faith at WorkThere may be a separation between church and state, but the old unwritten rule about separating religion from the workplace is losing its power.
Broader trends in society, demographics, and in business are behind the new emphasis on religion in the workplace. Employees are expected to work longer hours, leaving less time to pray at home or at a house of worship. And as an Across the Board article by Theodore Kinni points out, the traditional pillars of society ? extended families, local churches, and communities ? are crumbling. Divorce, single-parent households, two-income families, substance abuse, immigration, and a transient workforce all erode the traditional support network that people relied upon for spiritual meaning and day-to-day reassurance.
Into that void, religious-oriented employee work groups are springing up in companies such as Procter & Gamble, Ford, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Sears, American Airlines, Texas Instruments, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft. For example, among the members of Procter & Gamble’s Wal-Mart Global Customer Team, roughly 80 percent belong to religious affinity groups at the company. Tom Muccio, the president of the organization, explains: “There are a number of Bible studies and/or prayer groups in our office pretty much any day of the week... That is something that 10 years ago just wouldn’t happen other than in Christian companies.”
At Tyson Foods, the 120,000 employees are served by 58 part-time chaplains, according to theAssociated Press. And, in workplaces across the country, 10,000 Bible and prayer groups meet on a regular basis, according to the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries.
Christian employees are not the only ones meeting and praying in workplaces. People of all faiths have formed affinity groups in companies large and small. According to a survey of companies by the Society for Human Resource Management, more than a third of the employers reported that there are more religions represented in their workplaces than five years ago.
Beyond that, many companies are acknowledging religion by mentioning God in their mission statements. Business books offer advice with a religious slant, such as distilling lessons for CEOs from the teachings of Jesus.
To some extent, this trend reflects the emphasis on spirituality that erupted after the terrorist attacks in September 2001, when many people concluded that they needed a deeper meaning from their lives than they could get from a paycheck. And it’s clearly a backlash against the bankrupt corporate values of companies like Enron and Worldcom, which proved that breaking the rules in pursuit of profits is not only an example of bad morals, but of bad business.
Beyond that, it is a sign that employers are recognizing that their workers do not leave their personal lives at home when they come to work. Just as companies have provided flexible hours and workplace daycare facilities to allow working parents to provide for the needs of their children, they are now acknowledging that employees are spiritual beings, too.
Where is this trend leading?
First, we forecast that the trend will continue to accelerate. Companies that benchmark leading competitors will find that, whether or not it actually makes an impact on employee morale or productivity, religion in the workplace is being widely practiced ? and inevitably, it will be adopted along with other practices in the quest for more committed employees and better business results.
Second, we expect that it will lead to unavoidable conflicts in the workplace. Non-religious employees who are passed over for promotions are likely to claim religious discrimination if the job goes to a colleague who attends Bible study meetings with the boss. People of various religions can be expected to demand equal opportunities to worship according to their own faiths and religious holidays, which could lead to friction, particularly in times of war. It’s already happening. The EEOC reports that it handled 2,572 religious discrimination complaints in 2002, double the amount of complaints from 10 years earlier. Nearly half of those complaints were filed by Muslims.
References List : 1. Across the Board, November/December 2003, "Faith at Work: Redrawing the Line Between Religion and Business," by Theodore Kinni. ⓒ Copyright 2003 by The Conference Board, Inc. All rights reserved. 2. Associated Press, August 10, 2003, "Religion Assuming Larger Role on the Job." ⓒ Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 3. Associated Press, January 17, 2003, "In the Workplace, Religion Becomes an Increasing Source of Tension," by Adam Geller. ⓒ Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
