Workplace Spirituality

Workplace Spirituality: the why, what, how



What is Workplace Spirituality?

There are various approaches towards the meaning of workplace spirituality however there is not a comprehensively acknowledged meaning of the term. It is nonetheless necessary to define terms when working with them.

Spirituality in its latin roots (spiritus) means 'breath'.  Breath is the link between the inside and the outside world as air enters into the body, circulates and leaves the body. Therefore it is also the connection between all living beings breathing the same air. Spirituality for me and for the purpose of my work is the development of consciousness. It is the journey towards inside, an interplay of inner truth and trust, meaning and purpose, a sense of belonging and an understanding of one's worth in life. Spirituality is an ongoing personal transformation in correlation with the external environment. It facilitates the realization that we are all deeply connected.

Transferring the understanding of spirituality to the workplace, I resonate with the definition from Giacalone & Jurkiewicz (2003) who define Workplace Spirituality as "a framework of organizational values evidenced in the culture that promotes employees’ experience of transcendence through the work process, facilitating their sense of being connected to others in a way that provides feelings of completeness and joy.”  

Why do we need it?

"The work we do should not drain and exhaust us..." and still we observe an increasing illness rate. One of the main reasons for sickness are mental health challenges. But also, most of the other reasons why people are ill have their roots in a stressful and overloaded work-life. Furthermore, some workplaces face unsatisfied work performance, unhappy employees, mistrust, little organizational commitment etc. There is a necessity that workplaces address these causes of suffering.

Workplace spirituality, in the sense of a collective consciousness, can provide a holistic understanding of health - based on the concept of a physical, energetic, emotional/mental and wisdom body. Spirituality in workplaces enables work that "give[s] us more strength and more energy" and thus encourages a working environment where people can consistently grow and evolve (together). 

How to create it?

Human behavior does not change in the blink of an eye, nor do organizational cultures. Implementing a sustainable as well as dynamic concept to enable holistic well-being in working environments requires willingness, effort and time. I developed the KAH-Konzept as an integrative method to identify, address and treat causes of suffering in work environments and to encourage holistic well-being in the workplace on an individual, group and organizational level.

Service: Conscious New Work and Career Life Designs for a Healthy Working Environment