| Bringing Spirituality to the Workplace What is spirituality in the workplace? Some companies would tell you that it is bringing your values to work and using them in everyday life. Values like honesty, integrity, and good quality work. Other companies would tell you it is treating each customer, employee and co-worker with respect and love. Yes I said "love". For yet other companies it is using prayer, meditation, in making all the small and large decisions each day. And for some it is being socially responsible for the community, enviroment, and the world. They see their companies serving the three "P's" people,planet and profit. Some key values that companies are embracing are:Key spiritual values embraced in a business context include integrity, honesty, accountability, quality, cooperation, service, intuition, trustworthiness, respect, justice, and service. More and more companies believe this approach exemplifies a balance between deeply held spiritual values and respect for the need for profit in business endeavors. With more women in the workplace than ever before (studies show that women are more concerned with the spirit) we are in a revolution in the workplace that the whole person be reflected in the workplace. How do I find a job I really enjoy? How do I find meaning in my work? Is there more meaningful work I should be doing? How does my spirituality fit in with my career? People are asking these questions of themselves and their companies.
Since we spend so much of our lives working and so much of ourselves these are valid questions to be asking. Corporate scandals fill the headlines but Signs of spirituality in the workplace keep turning up: companies not only allowing but sponsoring prayer or meditation groups; company-sponsored chaplains; conferences and executive training sessions that experiment with spiritual practices or how to incorporate values into decision making; and how to use prayer as a way of making decisions. I think these headlines should dominate the headlines. There is a shift going on in
business
involving, going beyond maximizing profits to considering all stakeholders: employees, customers, vendors, shareholders, and the community. Now that more and more people are doing business on the internet and companies have gone global the community has expanded as has the enviroment to a global village. I believe that Joseph Campbell showed the way when he said follow your bliss. What he meant was that we should notice the things that give us deep joy and a feeling of satisfaction. People are not only looking toward following their bliss but having meaning in their work. In the agricultural age one saw the results of their work. Now so many times people only do a small piece of a large project and never see any results of the whole. So it is more important than ever that they do what they love and love what they do. We yearn for work to be a place in which we both experience and express our deep soul and spirit. What would a more spiritual workplace mean for people? It would mean that work is a place beyond earning our daily bread. A place where the whole person can express themselves. It would also mean through our creative contribution that other peoples spirit and creativity would be nourished.e Self (their aliveness). Creativity is the core of business. It will allow us to come out with new products, ideas, and services that serve other people. To realize this goal we must create enviroments where spirit flourishes. When people incorporate spirituality they work more efficiently as teams for they are living values that nuture others. By being more ethical companies are able to trust employees, employees can give up some of the fear of being scammed by employers and customers trust the company and stay with them longer. When we exercise leadership based on spiritual values, we build the character and reputation required for growth. About the author: Judi Singleton is the publisher of Jassmine's Journal you can subscribe at http://www.motherearthpublishing.com | 
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