Workplace Spirituality:

An Issue for Learning and Quality

of Work Life Kim Nimon Van VanBebberJeff Allen

University of North Texas

Why this Topic?

95% of Americans believe in God or auniversal spirit (Gallup poll)

Spirituality - 2nd most important factor in personal satisfaction (USA Weekend poll)

Spirited workplaces outperform spiritually weak companies (Harvard Business School)

Historical Review Spirituality is central to almost

every human culture from ancient to modern

Industrial revolution stripped away much of what makes us human

Human relations era recognized the cognitive contributions of a worker

Spiritual element is an emerging field that offers great promise in human performance

A Living Example Note the various elements of

the human person Physical Able to make

and use tools to build and create

Cognitive Able to think, solve problems and find improved

ways to build and create

Spiritual Able to connect with others with a desire to build and

create something better

What is it?

Deeply held values that guide life and work practices (Butts, 1999)

What is it?

Recognition that employees have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that take place in the context of community (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000)

What is it? Framework of

organizational values evidenced in the culture that promotes employee’s experience of transcendence through the work process, facilitating their sense of being connected to others in way that provides feelings of completeness and joy (Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2003)

Common Themes Transcendence -

belonging to something larger than oneself

Holism - harmony, balance , and connectedness

Growth - self development, self actualization

Cases and Examples

Challenges

Spirituality is an individual trait

Potential for exploitation rather than growth

Recognizing spirituality is part of a system

Can spirituality and religion be kept separate?

Conclusion Spiritual intervention is not

a matter of introducing spirituality to the work place – it is already there.

Rather, it is a matter of recognizing and nurturing the human spirit for the mutual benefit of the individual, the work group, and the organization.

Workplace Spirituality:

An Issue for Learning and Quality

of Work LifeKim Nimon Kim.Nimon@unt.edu

Jeff Allen Jeff.Allen@unt.edu

University of North Texas