Values in the workplace

THERE is a recent study that shows promoting values in the workplace helps improve productivity and reduce incidence of turnover.  Many companies nowadays are taking time to hold prayer breakfast for executives, Bible study for their employees or even just a few minutes of devotional and prayer before starting work in the morning.  Of course, we should not leave out the true power of prayer here, but the exercise of prayer and Bible study enables the workers to feel that they are not missing out in developing their spiritual life because of their workload.  The values being imbibed in this short period of focusing on spiritual values will be carried by the employees throughout their work, for instance, in how they deal with their co-employees, with customers, with their bosses and with the public in general when they go out and represent their company.

The focus here is more of formation of values rather than “religion,” which can lead people to fear of being introduced to different doctrines and proselytizing in the office.  In a country like the Philippines which is more of a Christian country, studying the Bible helps the workers be more acquainted with Christian teachings and applying these beliefs in their work and in their personal lives.

Companies like Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, subsidiaries of Walmart hire chaplains to minister to their employees and found this reduced employee turnover. These value-transformation activities sweeping corporate America have started even 10 years ago.  Bloomberg Businessweek dated November 1, 1999, mentioned (in an article entitled “Religion in the workplace” as its cover story) that “across the country, major-league executives are meeting for prayer breakfasts and spiritual conferences. In Minneapolis 150 business chiefs lunch monthly at a private, ivy-draped club to hear chief executives such as Medtronic Inc.’s William George and Carlson Co.’s Marilyn Carlson Nelson draw business solutions from the Bible.”

It must be God’s destined future why the sudden surge in the need to nourish the spiritual aspect and soul of man (for those of us believers).  But companies had seen the results even if some of the owners are not really believers and inclined to spiritual and value-formation activities because the result has been encouraging.  Companies experienced increased creativity and productivity resulting in a more fulfilled and efficient work force or satisfied and happy employees who are more likely to stay.  They saw it as a mission to do their best in their work to please their Supreme Being Who they consider as the ultimate Business Owner.

And this need to nourish their souls is affecting all levels of the work force, from the top executive to the factory worker.  In a research by McKinsey & Co. Australia, featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, shows that when companies provide spiritual activities for their employees, this improves productivity and employee turnover. Moreover, the right values are being observed for these employees are less likely to compromise their values, less anxious about the future, have the confidence to do their job, and more focused on their work.

In a USA Weekend Poll, the second-most important factor after health in personal happiness is spiritual development with a 47-percent rating. Here in the Philippines, I do not have such study, but probably if we have one, it could even exceed this rating with the various Bible study groups we have in the country whether Catholic or Evangelical or Baptist groups.

Before, people were allergic to speaking about God in the workplace, but lately prayer groups at Deloitte & Touche had been formed as mentioned in the same article in Bloomberg Businessweek and the other 10,000 Bible and prayer groups that meet in corporate America based on a study in 1999 by Fellowship for Companies for Christ International.

People are seeking more than the material things of this world as a way to nourish their souls and to find more meaning in their lives.  And because they spend most of their days at work, what better way than for companies to provide time for their employees to spend time studying the Scriptures and listening to devotionals for, at the end of the day, “we are all formed from dust and to dust we shall return.”

This is just a temporary journey we have here on earth and the best use of our time is to prepare our souls for our final permanent destination.  We should do away with the distinction of secular from spiritual for everything we have anyway comes from our Ultimate Giver Who is the Owner of it all. –Inventor Miranda / Free Enterprise, Businessmirror

(Wilma Miranda is the chairperson of the Publications Committee of Finex.  For comments, you can e-mail her at Wilma_517@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )