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Finding IT: Getting to the Heart of Spirit in the Workplace
Some refer to it as a sense of enthusiasm. Others relate it to interconnectedness. Some describe it asthe whole self. Others think it is associated with religion. So what is “it” that people have differentinterpretations of? It is referred to as spirit in the workplace.
What is it?
My description of spirit in the workplace is that it allows you to feel a greater sense of connection by bringing your whole self, the essence of who you are, to a supportive environment. It is not associatedwith religion. Let’s explore some key elements within this description.
Connection.
People areyearning to connect with others. Connections provide people with meaning and a sense of belongingto something greater.
Whole self.
The whole self concept encourages people to look at their lifeholistically – that they aren’t one person in their personal life and then another person in their professional lives. In fact, business poet David Whyte explains how most of us only bring 60 percentof ourselves to the workplace and leave the other 40 percent of our real self in the car.
Essence.
Essence is about getting to your core, your inner self. Author Alexandra Stoddard said that “your spirit, your essence, is at the heart of everything about you.” The only way that you can get to the coreis to go within and find your heart’s deepest desires.
Supportive environment
. The other key piece isthe environment. Whether it is at home or on the job, a supportive environment is how the spirit isembraced and fostered.
Not associated with religion
. Spirit in the workplace does not promote aspecific religion, it promotes an all-inclusive and interconnected view similar to spirituality.
What is the value of it?
Despite the confusion of what it is, research shows the impact spirit in the workplace can have for individuals and organizations. It can
boost morale
. Engaging in practices that support spirit in theworkplace can uplift the spirits of everyone involved. It can
influence satisfaction
. Since spirit in theworkplace encourages each individual to bring their whole self to both work and home, it increases thesatisfaction level in both areas. It
strengthens commitment
. Being aligned with an organization thatfosters the essence of who you are enables you to feel and display a tremendous sense of loyalty. It
increases productivity
. When you feel a greater sense of connection to your work, you are moremotivated to produce good work. Which in turn increases the overall productivity of an organization.It also
improves the bottom line
. According to a nation-wide study on spirituality in the workplace,organizations which integrate another bottom-line into its practices – like spirituality – actuallyincrease the financial bottom-line. These organizations believe that spirituality could ultimately be thegreatest competitive advantage. For example, South West Airlines is often described in terms thatwould identify it as a spirit-driven organization. This was the only airline to be profitable after theSeptember 11
th
tragedy that had an incredible financial impact on the airline industry.
How did it start?
There are many reasons that contribute to this movement around spirit in the workplace. With all thecorporate downsizing and restructuring, employees who are left tend to work longer hours. As a result,they want to bring more of their outside self to work. Employees want more from their organizationsand organizations demand more from their employees. As organizations continue to struggle to findand keep talented employees, they need to offer more than just “a job.” Employees yearn to feel partof a mission, to add value and to contribute in a meaningful way. Previous movements in the 1980’sand 1990’s such as the new age, work/life balance, simplicity and others have paved the way for thisone. Different generations are contributing to it as well. The majority of the population, 78 million baby boomers, are reaching mid-life and looking at spiritual issues such as: What is my legacy? What
©
Copyright of Janae Bower. All rights reserved. January 2002.
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| Upload Date: | 06/02/2009 |
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