Spirituality in the Workplace Qualitative Research

Introduction

General Overview

The interest in organizational spirituality partially derives from the necessity to balance organizational performance and to improve the codes of ethics within an organization. Specifically, a growing attention to the workplace spirituality allows people to construct and sustain fundamental values at work and facilitate various management operations and practices.

Appeared in the 1990s, this domain of organizational ethics has captured the attention of the leading theorist examining management and workplace environment (Giacalone and Jurkiewicz, 2010, p. 27). In particular, contemporary researchers are primarily dedicated to the analysis of spirituality with regard to organizational performance and relationships between the employers and their employees.

One way or another, these theoretical frameworks provide promising perspectives for successful development and advancement of company’s philosophies and values allowing to adjust to social and cultural changes. In this regard, there is a growing necessity to study various dimensions of workplace spirituality to define how they influence organizational performance, ethical behavior, and overall atmosphere within an organization.

Defining Spirituality in the Workplace

So far, spirituality was not considered in relation to work and business and organizational workplace could be compared with oxymoron.

However, since 1990 and several decades after, a dramatic interest in the examination of this term as an inherent component in understanding organizations and management provide a solid ground for providing a new definition of spirituality. Manz and Neal (2005) provide the following explanation:

“Spirituality in the workplace is about people seeing their work as a spiritual path, as an opportunity to grow personally and to contribute to society in a meaningful way. It is about learning to be more caring and compassionate with fellow employees, with bosses, with subordinates and customers.

It is about integrity, being true to oneself, and telling the truth to others. Spirituality in the workplace can refer to an individual’s attempts to live his or her values more fully in the workplace.” (p. 121)

Analyzing this meaning, organizational spirituality touches upon various dimensions of employed environment such as organizational ethics, organizational performance, integrity, cultural diversity, and psychological factors in relations between managers and their subordinates.

Literature Synthesis: Elements of Organizational Spirituality

Spirituality and organizational performance

The introduction of spirituality and virtuous approaches to business management is largely predetermined by the necessity to increase organizational performance, productivity, and revenues. In this regard, a wide range of researches and reports are dedicated to the analysis of these relations.

Cavanagh and Bandsuch (2002) question, “how does [spirituality] maximize the benefits and minimize the problem of spirituality in the workplace” or “how does one best judge whether a particular spirituality is ‘appropriate’ for the workplace”(p. 109).

In this regard, the scholars pay attention to the fact that spirituality contributes significantly to improving cooperation and motivation. More importantly, they believe that spirituality positively affects organizational performance and productivity, thus dictating a person-oriented approach to human resource management.

The same position is held by Collins (2010) who also believes that spirituality in the workplace is the primary condition for achieving impressive financial performance and productivity and for striking the balance between company’s goals and ethical and spiritual behaviors within an organization.

In particular, the scholar provides an original approach for proving that ethics and ethical codes, ethical decision making, and diversity training are closely correlated with performance analysis. More importantly, the research carried by Collins (2010) provides evidence that proper management of organizational spirituality will lead to the improvement of quality of goods and services and facilitates spiritual development and growth.

Examinations of relation of spirituality to organizational efficiency and performance have also been proved by Karakas (2010). Specifically, the researcher has managed to successfully outline the main factors affecting high productivity and organization’s prosperity.

The researcher believes that a successful performance is based on three factors: employee’s welfare and living standard, employees’ motivation and incentives, and employees’ interaction with community. All these factors are effectively enhanced by spirituality.

Kolodinsky et al. (2008) have proved the research question provided by Karakas (2010). However, the researcher is more focused on the structuring the main elements of spirituality believing that it should be views through the prism of individual, organizational and interactive aspects.

Milliman et al. (1999) agree with this idea that the introduction of the organizational spirituality triggers the increase of company’s profits and provides new incentives and motivation for employees to work harder and more efficiently.

With regard to the considerations presented above, it should be stressed that all the researchers have provided completely different positions toward the connection between spirituality and organizational performance. Nevertheless, all of them emphasize the importance of spirituality penetration to the workplace.

Spirituality and organizational ethics

The fact that spirituality and ethics are closely interconnected is undeniable. This is obvious when it concerns the world of business and organizational management, which is another dimension of social world. Therefore, there are plethora of researchers and explorations that provide exhaustive information about codes of ethics, organizational ethics, personal development and how they are connected with spirituality in the workplace.

Sheep (2006) sufficiently explains two important factors – spirituality in the workplace and ethical dilemmas – with regard to the overall atmosphere within an organization. In particular, the researcher believes that harmonic co-existence of several ethical climates will not provide serious problems, but they can trigger ethical misconceptions within differently oriented working teams.

In order to eliminate and to prevent such dilemmas, the researcher pays attention to “quiet desperation” and the problem of instrumentality (Sheep, 2006, p. 538). What is more important, Sheep (2006) suggests a comprehensive approach to solving the problems.

Specifically, he refers to instrumentality, societal good, and individual fulfillment as the main pillars for striking the balance between ethical issues and organizational spirituality. The same view is held by Manz and Neal (2008) who believe that “[w]hile virues offer a blueprint for ideal ethical and moral workplace conduct, the realities of the market are often largely in opposition to these lofty intentions” (p. 131).

The researchers also suggest that performance can often encounter the problems of spirituality and virtue formation because such aspects as compassion and integrity can conflict with high productivity.

In contrast to Sheep’s suggestions, Pawar (2009b) provides a completely different view on the consideration of spirituality and ethical issues. Unlike previous statements, the researcher does not refer to spirituality in the workplace as to the cornerstone for constructing and adapting ethical codes, but as to the basics of organizational ethics.

Like Kolodinsky et al. (2008), Pawar (2009b) offers a three-dimensional approach to the evaluation of various techniques for facilitating spirituality in the workplace. These dimensions touch upon personal, group, and organizational viewpoints on the connection between spirituality and ethics.

Judging from the above assumptions and evidence, the connection of spirituality and ethics in relation to organizational performance is quite controversial. Therefore, this concept should be carefully considered before introduced in the working environment.

Spirituality, religion, and social interaction in the business world

The contradictions derived from considering organization spirituality are largely connected with wrong understanding of this definition. The problem is that religion and spirituality are closely interconnected because religion can be considered as the main source of spirituality (Manz and Neal, 2008, p. 121).

However, this is only one of the basic components included in this definition which are not properly revealed and explained. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the differences between those terms because there are people are spiritual enough, but do not belong to any of the known religions.

Some researchers believe that spirituality in the workplace does not presuppose religion as its main component (Pavlovich and Corner, 2009). The scholars insist on the idea that organizational spirituality identifies various techniques for consolidating and connecting employees.

More importantly, Pavlovich and Corner (2009) provide comprehensive models for analyzing environmental and social issues and connect spirituality management with ecological levels.

In the studies provides by Pawar (2009a), there is no mentioning about religion as the basic precursor of workplace spirituality. Instead, the scholar provides that this phenomenon is constructed on the basis of self-interest transcendence, organizational behavior, transformational leadership, procedural justice, and organizational support.

Being the main concepts of organizational behavior, spirituality, thus, is presented as a component of organizational ethics where religion cannot be considered, or should be presented apart from business ethics.

In order to separate religion from spirituality, it is necessary to consider several dimensions these two aspects encounter. According to Hill and Smith (2003), religion is more community-focused while spirituality tend to be more individualistic; religion is more observable, measurable, and objective while spirituality is less visible and quantifiable and more objective….religion tend to be behavior-oriented with an emphasis on outward practices while spirituality tend to be more emotionally oriented and inwardly directed;…and religion is more oriented toward doctrine, especially that which distinguishes good from evil while spirituality stresses harmony and unity and is less concerned with doctrine (p. 233).

With regard to these distinctions, it is possible to conclude that spirituality and religion create a two-polar opposition where the coincident point can be observed in case emotional and inward states of an individual are based on religious concerns only.

Alternatively, considering spirituality and religious are homogenous terms can lead disorganization and misconception of the established theories and approaches.

In particular, according to Hicks (2003), spirituality should be presented in the opposition to religion; otherwise, it can create negative connotations in the employed environment. Therefore, spirituality should be set before religions to avoid frictions and conflicts in the workplace.

Summing up the presented evidence, spirituality in the workplace is based on numerous aspects and influences, among which are organizational behavior, leadership, organizational ethics, self-interest transcendence, and religion. It should be emphasized that the latter provokes numerous controversies because it is often confused with the spirituality in the workplace.

Hence, the analysis of differences and peculiarities has revealed that religion may serve as a component of organizational spirituality, but it does not provide fundamental conceptions for constructing business ethics.

Discussion and Findings

An in-depth examination and assessment of the presented sources have infused several valuable assumptions and findings concerning different dimensions of spirituality in the workplace.

This specifically relates to the ethical dilemmas in the business environment, strategies for handling an organizational behavior, factors affecting an organizational performance and productivity, and the main elements of spirituality. In addition, the definition and explanation of the term have also been identified.

To begin with, the literature analysis has provided several discoveries concerning organizational spirituality and performance.

Specifically, it has been found that the majority of the researchers (Cavanagh and Bandsuch, 2002; Collins, 2010; Karakas, 2010; Kolodinsky et al., 2008; Milliman, 1999) agree with the assumption that this aspect positively influences company’s performance and employees’ performance because meeting workers’ spiritual and ethical requirements provides more incentives and more solid motivations for working harder.

Second, there are some difficulties in defining the relations between spirituality and ethical issues due to some reasons. Hence, it has been found that such controversy is predetermined by various theoretical orientations of both terms with regard to organizational management.

Hence, spirituality is more individual-oriented, it provides subjective outlooks and positions that should be tackled carefully by organization (Sheep, 2006; Manz and Neal, 2009; Pawar, 2009). More importantly, it is more connected with cultural and emotional diversities that are sometimes difficult to adjust because they may contradict some established conceptions within an organization.

In contrast, organizational ethics is more concerned with inventing some integral and universal concepts that could contribute to establishing favorable working environment and to meeting high levels of performance and productivity.

Third, religion and spirituality are not identical notions, specifically with regard to organizational ethics and behavior. Certainly, both spirituality and religions have similarities if considering them apart from the business world.

But within it, spirituality prevails where religion may be included only as one of the components along with leadership, organizational behavior, self-interest transcendence (Hill and Smith 2003; Hicks, 2003). At the same time, businesses should treat religion carefully cultivating tolerance and respect being the basic of cultural considerations.

All it can be seen spirituality involves a plethora of complicated issues and dilemmas that are carefully studied and considered at interdisciplinary level. This also implies that organizational spirituality is, indeed, crucial for constructing efficient strategies in the field of human resource management and organizational ethics.

Limitations to the Presented Literature

The majority of the selected scholarly works provides positive perspectives and connotations for introducing organization spirituality. However, little research has been done to analyze the reasons and negative outcomes of implementing spirituality in the workplace.

Mostly all reviewed works relate to the analysis of spirituality from the viewpoint of organizational ethics. Specifically, the point is that this notion is not considered as a separate concept, but inherently affiliated to ethical and cultural considerations.

Another explicit gap presented in the researches is absence of sufficient models for implementing spirituality in the workplace with regard to psychological factors and professional growth issue. Rather, the introduction is primarily aimed at improving organizational productivity and performance.

Consequently, there is a great distinction between spirituality in the workplace and that presented in the community. The latter is closely associated with individuals’ religious concerns rather with inward emotional state.

Finally, there are no accurate studies dedicated to the measurement of spirituality with regard to different organizations. In particular, irrelevant identification of spiritual goals and approaches can lead to theories ethical conflicts.

Therefore, it is necessary to expand the meaning of organizational spirituality to keep pace with recent cultural, social, and political changes. This can serve as serious reasons for further researchers in this field.

Conclusion

The spirituality in the workplace is connected with a wide range of disciplines and studies. Specifically, this notion concerns such areas as human resource management, business ethics, and organizational behavior, and conflict management.

The examination and assessment of presented theories and models for treating organizational spirituality provides great perspectives for further exploration and encouragement for building company’s values and codes of ethics and allows to establish a more favorable ground for adapting to cultural and social shifts.

The analysis and review of presented scholarly sources have proved numerous hypotheses and provides a solid ground for further explorations. More importantly, the review has also presented the most urgent problem connected with organizational ethics and establishing spirituality in the workplace.

The concerns are specifically connected with failure to correctly define the essence of spirituality which is often confused with religion. Numerous findings have proved that these concepts belong to completely different dimensions and studies, especially when they are considered in relation to business and management. Another problem occurs when searching place for spirituality within the ethical frameworks.

Ethics and spirituality can also be subjected to a two-polar confrontation because sometimes organizational ethics is not congruent with moral and spiritual concerns of individuals. In this respect, there are still many issues and aspect that are worth further examination and discussion to provide more accurate explanations for the place of spiritual issues in the employed environment.

Reference List

Cavanagh, G. F., and Bandsuch, M. R. (2002). Virtue as a Benchmark for Spirituality in Business. Journal of Business Ethics. 38(1/2), pp. 109-117.

Collins, D. (2010). ‘Designing ethical organizations for spiritual growth and superior performance: an organization systems approach’, Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 7(2), pp. 95-117.

Giacalone, R. A., and Jurkiewicz, C. L (2010). Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Performance. US: M. E. Sharpe SharpeLtd.

Hicks, D. A. (2003). Religion and the workplace: pluralism, spirituality, leadership. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hill, P. C. and Smith, G. S. (2003) Coming to Terms with Spirituality and Religion in the Workplace. In R. A. Giacalone and C. L. Jurkiewicz. Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Performance. US: M. E. Sharpe SharpeLtd.

Karakas, F. (2010). Spirituality and performance in organizations: A literature review. Journal of Business Ethics, 94, pp. 89-106.

Kolodinsky, R. W., Giacalone, R. A., and Jurkiewicz, C. L. (2008). Workplace Values and Outcomes: Exploring Personal, Organizational, and Interactive Workplace Spirituality. Journal of Business Ethics. 81(1), pp. 465-480.

Manz. C. C., and Neal, J. (2008). The virtuous organization: insights from some of the world’s leading management thinkers. US: World Scientific.

Milliman J., Ferguson J., Trickett D., Condemi B. (1999). Spirit and community at Southwest Airlines: An investigation of a spiritual values-based model. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 12 (3), pp. 221-233.

Pavlovich, K. and Corner, P. (2009). Spiritual Organizations and Inter-Connectedness: The Living Nature Experience. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion, 6 (3), pp. 209-229.

Pawar, B. S. (2009a). Some of the Recent Organizational Behavior Concepts as Precursors to Workplace Spirituality. Journal of Business Ethics. 88(2), pp. 245-261.

Pawar, B. S. (2009b). Workplace spirituality facilitation: A comprehensive model. Journal of Business Ethics 90, pp. 375–386.

Sheep, M. L. (2006). Nurturing the Whole Person: The Ethics of Workplace Spirituality in a Society of Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics. 66(4), pp. 357-375.