A new framework for analyzing organizational workplace religion and spirituality

Abstract

This paper proposes the Faith and Work Organizational Framework as a new organizational framework that builds on and addresses shortcomings of existing rubrics by giving needed attention to human, religious, legal, and organizational dynamics. This framework describes corporate actions and attitudes toward workplace spirituality and religion. It draws on symbolic management theory, and earlier conceptions of faith-friendly workplaces. The Faith and Work Organizational Framework identifies four distinct organizational approaches to addressing religion and spirituality at work (i.e. faith-avoiding, faith-based, faith-safe, and faith-friendly). Part one of this paper contextualizes the need for such a framework in light of the faith-at-work movement, Title VII, and human rights theory. Part two of the paper addresses shortcomings of existing models and offers a new language and framework (with four modalities). The paper concludes with theoretical, research, and practical implications of this framework.

Muslim Diaspora in the West and International HRM

“…Such augmentation of knowledge and practices generally falls within the domain of human resource management and when we consider diasporic realities, this knowledge is within the realm of international human resource management. For example, the faith and work organisational framework discusses faith-friendly workplaces (Miller & Ewest, 2015). These authors identify four distinct organisational approaches to religion and spirituality at work: faith avoiding, faith-based, faith-safe and faith-friendly.…”

“…These authors note that it is important to understand how religion can revitalise organisations as well as how private and public lives can be negotiated and change over time. Yet organisations lack the language, knowledge and frameworks to understand religion at work, coupled with organisational ambivalence, particularly for non-Christian religions (Miller & Ewest, 2015).…”

he Impact of Religious Diversity Management Strategies on Employee Attitudes

“…With Title VII laws and religion playing a role in managerial decision making, evaluating managerial strategies for spiritual diversity has never been more important (Fernando & Jackson, 2006;Miller & Ewest, 2015). Thus, this paper will follow the methodological framework set forth by researchers Miller and Ewest (2015), and compare the authors' four organizational approaches to spiritual diversity management: faith-avoiding, faith-based, faith-safe, and faith-friendly frameworks.…”

“…The importance of this research lies in the four frameworks used by Miller and Ewest (2015) as they demonstrate new ways of satisficing title VII laws via the frameworks management strategies. The main distinction between the frameworks used in this study and other frameworks or models used in previous research is that models like the spiritual leadership theory tend to be theoretical or undefined (Benefiel, Fry, & Geigle, 2014, Longenecker, McKinney, & Moore, 2004& Lynn, Naughton, & VanderVeen, 2009).…”

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AbstractThe following research article utilizes the four frameworks (faith-avoiding, faith-based, faith-safe, faith-friendly) discussed by previous researchers Miller and Ewest (2015) in order to evaluate the effects of religious diversity management strategies on varying employee attitudes.An evaluation of the previous research in the field of religion and its effects on management strategies with a basis in title VII laws is also addressed. Based on a sample of 300 participants, significant results in the frameworks and their corresponding variables were found.

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