Religion in the workplace: implications for managers Essay Example

establishments. This case highlights how workplace issues can intersect with religious freedom. In another instance, two female workers in Massachusetts were fired from a racetrack job for refusing to work on Christmas evening due to its significance as a religious holiday. They cited a new state law that safeguards individuals from being compelled to work on days of religious observance when filing their lawsuit.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the termination of three executives from Briggs ; Stratton Corp. is constitutionally valid due to the unconstitutionality of a law that mandated government officials to make theological decisions, thereby violating the principle of separation between church and state. As a result, the Massachusetts Legislature is revising this statute.

A manufacturer in Wisconsin is suing The National Catholic Reporter for $30 million, claiming libel and invasion of privacy. The religious newsweekly accused the company's Roman Catholic managers of denying or being morally blind when they moved 2,000 unionized jobs from Milwaukee to non-union plants in the South in 1994. While legal experts question the lawsuit's validity, executives at the manufacturer say they're proceeding on principle rather than trying to intimidate critics. Specialists studying organizational behavior note that religion is becoming increasingly relevant within workplaces as managers address issues related to diversity and similarity concerning gender, race, age, sexual orientation, country of origin and belief systems.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports a 30% increase in claims of religious discrimination by employers over the last six years, leading to more requests for accommodation of religious practices by employees. This trend has caused unease among businesses with regards to religion. Nonetheless, as co-author of Soul: An Uncommon Journey of

Spirit (Jossey-Bass, 1994), Professor Terrence E. Deal from Vanderbilt University stresses that individuals do not shed their humanity upon entering the workplace.

According to professionals, religion is influential in molding values and ethics. Business consultant and author of Jesus, CEO and The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life (Hyperion, 1995 and 1996), Laurie Beth Jones says that having religious beliefs can make an individual a good worker. Jones suggests that managers should make an effort to learn four important things about their employees: their greatest hope, deepest fear, secret hope, and biggest dream. By doing so, managers can motivate and elicit authentic work experience from their employees.

Most corporations have focused on rationality and have created employees who don't share their deepest selves, including religious beliefs. Corporations struggle to handle these expressions, whether they are manifestations of organized religion or unorthodox creeds, which includes atheism and religions that employers may not be aware of. According to the EEOC, protecting oneself from potential lawsuits can create a sterile and unproductive environment, leading to siloed employees with low morale, motivation, commitment, and loyalty.

Understanding both the letter and spirit of religion is important for businesses. Many employees view their job as an extension of their family, and work is considered sacred in most major religions. As companies increasingly address "softer" issues like empowerment, team building, and promoting diversity, technology has also played a role in creating an electronic community of interest. The workplace is a middle ground between employees' specific religious beliefs and the older perspective that everything must be purely secular. Ronald E Thiemann, author of Religion in Public Life: A Dilemma for Democracy, explains

that this balance is important for creating a positive work environment.

According to Thiemann, if values are important in the corporate world, then religion may affect a person's ability to accept those values and missions. Thiemann believes that religions should have a say in public and business domains, as long as they abide by constitutional protections for equality and tolerance. To treat religion as equally significant but just one of many personal interests that individuals bring into the workplace, Thiemann suggests that employers should ensure their policies are consistent.

The EEOC's position on religious discrimination is mirrored by Thiemann's counsel, which suggests that employers should examine their policies and provide adjustments for workers' religious convictions. This may involve making arrangements for worship or observance of religion, as well as addressing requests for breaks or prayer sessions during lunch. Assessment of accommodation should be done individually to prevent the exclusion of minority groups. Similarly, non-compliant religious clothing or symbols must also be evaluated based on individual cases and in accordance with company dress codes.

It is important to exercise caution when denying a religious accommodation, as the legal costs involved may be more than the accommodation itself and cause undue hardship. Managers need to receive training on their employees' religious rights and their company's non-discrimination and diversity policies. Legal professionals recommend creating a program similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act that includes religion, given the similarities between regulations for religion and disabilities. However, it is not recommended to hastily incorporate religion into diversity training.

Despite being prohibited by law, religious discrimination can manifest itself in various ways in the workplace. Some companies, such as Whitmore Manufacturing Co. located

in Texas and known for producing lubricants and coatings, take proactive measures to address these issues. For example, Marketplace Ministries - an independent nonprofit organization funded by donations and payments from client firms - has provided chaplain services for the past two years. Employees can benefit from voluntary counseling services both over the phone or in person.

According to Gary L. Martin, the president of Whitmore, while the company's chaplains are evangelical Christians, they will still help connect employees with spiritual advisors from any religion. Martin believes that these services can successfully address personal problems that may impact job performance as long as they align with the company's goals.

The chaplains will identify cases of domestic violence at 8:05 a.m. and can address non-religious issues despite their religious perspective. Whitmore's counselors are easily accessible and provide customized communication, making them highly beneficial. ServiceMaster has a net worth of $3.2 billion, employs 34,000 full-time personnel, and has four primary objectives, including "Honoring God in all we do."

According to Claire Buchan, vice president of communications, the company does not consider their objective as a religious statement. Their literature explains that the purpose is to promote inclusivity and serve as a constant reminder to do what is right. Human Factors principal, Stewart Emery, offers a practical view on religion in the workplace stating that business leaders who cannot see religious expression as inclusionary will become irrelevant. Emery highlights that reducing risk and cost and increasing revenues and profits are the primary concerns for business leaders.

According to the text, those who lack spiritual perspective would be content with avoiding spillage on the carpet, while those who are enlightened leaders would understand

more."