The following is the abstract of my thesis entitled Bringing Faith to Work: Including Spirituality in Diversity Programs.
The population of America is changing, and so is the religious landscape of the country. With these changes diverse workplaces are becoming ideal for businesses. The coming together of many different cultures and personalities makes for a richer and more productive workplace. Simultaneously it would seem, the decision has been made to stop short of acknowledging diverse approaches to spirituality.
Historically, business leaders and those who wish to further their careers have been told not to discuss their religion on the job. This has long been on the list of workplace taboos. However, with the changing demographics of the country, a basic understanding of various spiritual practices is becoming essential to navigate the workplace.
Both persons of faith and those who do not consider themselves religious have a right to freedom of expression at work. Work is such an important part of the American experience as is spiritual expression, why try to separate the two?
This thesis explores the concept of religious pluralism and how it can be advantageous in the workplace. The project uses Hinduism as a foundation to understand pluralism as a model approach to spiritual diversity in a business setting.
Including spirituality in diversity programs is a new concept and will require training of management and staff to have respectful discussions about spirituality at work.
My best, Rachel
