Worldwide there is an increased interest in the connection between spirituality and work. Why?
There are several key factors:
- Changing work structures, flattening hierarchies and increased worker demands has left many of us too tired and stressed to be creative. On the other hand the globalization of markets requires more creativity from employees. Where do we draw this creative energy from if we are tired.
- To survive into the 21st Century, organizations must offer a greater sense of meaning and purpose for their workforce. In today’s highly competitive environment, the best talent seeks out organizations that reflect their inner values and provide opportunities for personal development and community service, not just bigger salaries. We ask the big question of our employers, “What does all this really mean?”
- Spending more time at work means there is less time available for religious activities.
So people continute to search for meaning but the context in which this take place is outside many of the traditional structures that were once sought for answers. Because so much time is spent in the workplace it is an obvious point at which people will want to express meaning for their creativity.
Organisations that are able to aid their employees to make this connection will flourish in the future.
Technorati Tags : spirituality, work, change
A related observation. In the IT industry, the industry in which I work, it is common for people to get so engrossed in the goal of meeting a deadline, that the important things in life get overlooked. Often, the completion of one project marks the start of another that can be in the same phase. That is, a tight deadline and measurement of each person’s ability to meet that deadline. It’s called pay for performance, and is common in the private sector.
In one sense it’s a good thing. The public sector’s indifference to effort seems to foster an environment where people don’t care. I’m not saying all people in the public sector don’t care, just that the environment doesn’t encourage striving to improve. Instead some “key selection criteria” must be met to get the next promotion.
The private industry encourages performance, and improvement, and rewards those who achieve. However, those caught in the system can be blinded to the effect this can have on the work-life balance. Often it takes a job change or some personal crisis to open our eyes to just how out of whack we can be.
For me, the realisation that your time should be apportioned to the things that have the biggest lasting impact was a revelation. It seems obvious, but God, family, and friends need our time too. Of course work is important too, especially as we make commitments to do things by a certain date, and at times work will demand a lot of us. I think that’s okay for the short term, as long as in the medium to long term, the balance is maintained.
How does this fit in with Chris’ original post? I’m not really sure, but I feel better for having said it…