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Posted: 2007-07-24 18:48
Hello all. I am a masters student at JFK university in CA. I am working on a project evaluating innovation in the workplace. I would like to know about companies and organizations that have implemented "spiritual" practices within the workplace. I know that "spiritual" is defined differently and individually so am open to varying interpretations. For example, I heard of a company that takes it's employees on vision quests. As people become more disenfranchised with the organization, I am eager to learn what companies are doing that may be more progressive to help retain employees.
Thanks
Hilary
Hrpro
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 809
Posted: 2007-07-24 19:04
I view these activities, much like the challenge course that allegedly build teams, recess activities for adults and so forth, as fads created by imaginative people and brought into the workplace by desperate corporate leaders lacking proper skills, effective subordinate leaders and knowledge. Consequently you'll not receive any validating information from me regarding these misguided efforts.
Connecting with ones navel, inner child or a wisp of smoke may be uplifting activities for some but hardly add sustained value to any business focused organization. They do provide great comic relief and subject matter for TV script writers however.
I would encourage you to explore workplace solutions that result in real productivity and not these antics that are validated by flawed statistics. These would be solutions such as conflict resolution, skill building (core competency as well as technical), incentives/processes that drive and sustain execution and related initiatives.
HilaryRomanoff
Joined: Jul 24, 2007 Posts: 7
Posted: 2007-07-24 19:48
Spiritual could be defined as incorporating a career development program which asks employees which benfits packages add the most value for them. Engaging individuals in work which is meaningful for them and thus may better connect them to an organization resulting in more productivity or longevity does not seen like a "puff" of smoke to me. In the wake of 9/11, M & A, downsizing, a possible workforce shortage and more diverse workplace, I think it might be important to investigate all options to atttract and retain key employees. Also, today's empoyee's may be substantially different. We might want to consider the needs of every Generation.
I appreciate your feedback and opinion. I do think there are some companies out there with alternative visions.
Hrpro
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 809
Posted: 2007-07-24 20:26
There is significant difference between meaningful engagement and spirituality in the workplace, or anyplace. You speak of benefit packages as an incentive to that engagement in your recent response while earlier addressing vision quests (a cheesy Matthew Modine move as well). Intrinsic motivators such as benefits are far more reaching in their influence than the opportunity to sit in a drum circle and chant. Citing your example I cannot think of a single incident where I can recall any employee connecting spiritually with a benefit plan but I can recall many instances where a benefit plan was a motivator. However, a benefit plan that affords them the time off to run to a national park and commune with trees might. The key is an employer will enter into an arrangement that provides time off for productivity. The significant majority, read almost all, will not provide as an incentive company paid sponsorship for navel exploration while on a vision quest. A major difference of focus and value exists in that relationship.
Invoking motivators across generations frequently involve the following:
security
money
travel
service
training
recreation (time off for or ability to afford)
education (including training)
challenge
Unless one is in an industry that for example allows a true believer to serve the values of a specific tenet, and meet minimally their basic needs, spirituality is not a sufficient enough motivator for profit focused business (the true nature of all business FP of NFP) or its employees to invest any workplace time in. In short the ROI is negligible. Attending to one of the needs (motivators) above would. Perhaps your quest needs more applicable terminology.
This isn't a generational issue, rather, it is a dominant buying motive issue to use a sales term.
You are of course free to believe otherwise. Just prepare yourself for the disappointment that would involve almost all legitimate business viewing your tact differently.
Vivlin
Joined: Mar 23, 2004 Posts: 148
Posted: 2007-07-25 05:30
Yes, Hillary we offer a course Spirituality in the Workplace, which allows staff to discuss how their spiritual foundations help them throughout the day. The class is 4 hours, led by a chaplain, and encourages inter-religious dialog. We've been offering it for over 9 years, and have received only positive feedback. The course is part of our leadership programs.
rrupert
Joined: Feb 15, 2006 Posts: 1612
Posted: 2007-07-25 06:54
HRPRO...Maybe it's just another California quirk...
But none of the retention ideas I have ever seen deal with the "spirituality" of the employee. Instead the things that I have seen that help retain employees:
(1) respect of bosses and peers
(2) feel valued by the organization
(3) salaries have kept up with market
(4) chance for promotion/education/skills training
(5) benefits package that meets their needs (health, dental, life insurance, 401k etc)
(6) challenges that get them out of the hum-drum of their basic job description
(7) flexible work hours/schedules/work from home
I do realize that your research will definitely be interesting and I am sure there are some companies that embrace this viewpoint, especially those in California. But I am betting you will not find it as a large trend in other parts of the country except in very specialized fields and off-the-wall companies.
Hrpro
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 809
Posted: 2007-07-25 07:12
I would like to point out too that my friend Vivlin (we are friends IRL) works for a Jesuit University so of course spirituality would be almost expected (see earlier comments regarding tenets etc)and most certainly a part of the cultural fabric of the organization.
rrupert
Joined: Feb 15, 2006 Posts: 1612
Posted: 2007-07-25 15:22
That's why I caveated "very specialized fields"...religious organizations would definitely be one of them.
I can see "spirituality" exercises offending conservative Christians or those that have a very strong belief system that is not in anyway about the "spirit" inside us. If you force someone like that to participate, it could come back and blow up in your face...especially if it is employer-sponsored.
HilaryRomanoff
Joined: Jul 24, 2007 Posts: 7
Posted: 2007-07-25 15:28
what about value driven organizations like Tom's of Maine, Patagonia or The Limited? How would you characterize their programs? Are there other companies offering similar "packages" for their employees or mission statements which are reflected in workplace practices?
Hrpro
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 809
Posted: 2007-07-25 17:28
I have never been a part of any organization that did not live its values statement. That isn't and wasn't "spiritual".
HilaryRomanoff
Joined: Jul 24, 2007 Posts: 7
Posted: 2007-07-25 20:01
hm HrPro. I would really like to hear from other people in the field. As I understand it, spiritual can be defined by the individual and does not necessarly mean religious. Workforce Mgt. had a very interesting article on the topic by Jennifer Koch entitled "Balancing Spiritualy and Work." I would like to believe that this field is diverse enough to include many thoughts and opinions. My reason for posting was to try and gather some resouces, not to be shut down or imply that I was wrong and ignorant. In a world that deals with many individuals with many different perspectives, I think its important to consider many possibilities, or as put it, the puff of smoke. I don't mean to offend you, but I would like to keep an open mind. Clearly, I must have touched off a nerve for you. I apologize for doing that. Unless I get a new posting from someone else, I will not respond again and seek information from other sources. I do not want to engage in an online sparring match.
nork3
Joined: Feb 12, 2002 Posts: 3876
Posted: 2007-07-25 21:27
Hillary:
I think you might want to define spirituality before we go any further. Clearly, spirituality means different things. Tom Chappell went to Harvard Divinity School and brought that kind of spirituality to Tom's of Maine. As you note, some companies go on "vision quests".
HRPro has been around for a long time as have I, and we've seen an awful lot of crap marketed as HR. Mercifully, fads get a bit of traction for a little while and then [even more mercifully] go away. So there's a reason, and a good one, for skepticism here. "Vision questing" sounds like hooey to me.
YOur comment "As people become more disenfranchised with the organization..." seems to imply that all employees become "disenfranchised", which I assume means they start disengaging from an organization. I submit that an organization with effective leadership and a concrete, well communicated mission don't have "disenfranchised" employees. Before heading down the path of some fad fix for all that ails an organization, most would be well advised to look to their own leadership practices.
Can religion play a role in the workplace? Yes, but given all the hoopla about discrmination in the workplace on the basis of religion, most organizations are reluctant to go down that path and try to remain as secular as possible. Not to say that religious principles aren't important, of course - we'd be better off if everyone kept some solid morals and ethics in mind. But overt spirituality in the workplace tends to make management nervous.
HilaryRomanoff
Joined: Jul 24, 2007 Posts: 7
Posted: 2007-07-25 22:20
Nork3, I am in complete agreement with you. Thank you too for clarifying. That is why I too wanted to reclarify that I am looking for "spiritual" programs which could be distict from religious program. I undertand that these could pose problems for organizations for a variety of reasons. I realize that even bringing up this topic raises hackles for people.
I find it interesting that some people identify a company like Tom's of Maine as "spiritual," because of how it is run and how the employees are treated. I think the issue, as you wisely pointed out is language. Perhaps I need to reframe my topic/question/idea is the following way: What companies/programs etc are there that have innovative ways for addressing employees needs and values? For example, I have read that there is a growing trend/fad for people for to feel "more connected at work", to have workplace community or to "feel" and be heard and valued at work. Some might claim that these needs are "spirtually based". I would like to know about companies that offer viable and creative ways of addressing this "trend." I have heard that Donatos Pizza, Tom's of Maine and World Bank are resourceful.
I do not know if this "spiritual" thing is faddy or not. I know that I see a number of clients who are unhappy at work but isn't that always the case. You are right to point out that good management and leadership are vital. I am ultimately trying to assist and empower individuals to make informed and educated decisions around career planning.
Thank you for your perspective.
lesallan
Joined: Apr 16, 2007 Posts: 108
Posted: 2007-07-26 01:50
Hello Hilary. I’ve worked for and with a number of companies here in Australia and can say that none of them had a “spirituality” program. From what I’ve seen, I venture to guess that Australia is somewhat more secular in its leaning than USA.
I think that you and other contributors are right when you say that the term “spirituality” needs to be defined to take the conversation forward. Hilary, a lot of what you talk about in referring to disengagement of employees is disengagement all the same from a secular perspective as well. “Spirituality” to me implies something other worldly or at least something other that being a mere mortal.
To me, however, engaging employees is about giving meaning and purpose, treating with respect, feeling a part of something other than self, and so on. These all make sense within a secular dimension, so I can’t see how talking about “spirituality” adds value. And doing so may disenfranchise the non-spiritual amongst us as well as being a red rag to a bull for some people. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth.
Posted: 2007-07-26 06:09
At the beginning of the diversity movement (3 decades ago)organizations supported 'affinity groups' that formed to address a great number if issues, and spirituality was usually one of them.
The business reason to allow for an exploration of how you use spirituality at work is that human beings are not one dimensional and seek meaning.
Hilary -- if you google this topic, you will find the companies that are currently engaged in this activity. Check out the Servant Leadership web site as well: http://www.greenleaf.org/
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Posted: 2007-07-24 18:48 
