Religion in the workplace

Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach (Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs) gave the Christian Association of Business Executive's (CABE) Eighteenth Hugh Kay Memorial Lecture: "Religion in the Workplace" on 16 October 2007.

In the lecture Lord Griffiths asks: Is your organisation "faith friendly"? What are the benefits to organisations of being faith friendly? How should we be good followers of Christ and effective witnesses at work?

He makes the case for being faith friendly by saying:

"an individual who takes their faith seriously will wish to explore how it relates to issues raised by the particular workplace in which they find themselves. What does it mean for example to show integrity in a financial transaction? How does a partner in a leading international accounting, law or investment banking firm maintain an appropriate work – life balance? How does the idea that “my word is my bond” apply in a fast moving negotiation? How does one handle a conflict between being an agent and a principal?

The subject also raises issues for management.

How much knowledge of other religions should managers be expected to have? How should a manager deal with the zeal of a new convert who wishes to share his/her faith with others? Should people be allowed to wear jewellery which are religious symbols at their place of work? Should people who are opposed to same-sex unions be required to attend training sessions in order to better understand sexual preference? Should women be allowed to wear a burkha or a hijab (veil)? How should management respond to a person of religious conviction who refuses to travel on business to a certain Middle Eastern country? Should employees in a company have the right to hold a Christmas carol service? Or an Eid party?

All of these are practical issues faced by employees and managers in today’s world.

What I find remarkable is the way in which these issues are now being discussed openly and seriously in the business world as well as in business schools. Not that long ago the subject of religion in business was a taboo subject. Religion and business simply did not mix. They were entirely separate enterprises. Within the last ten years however Fortune magazine has run a cover article on “God and Business: The Surprising Quest for Spiritual Renewal in the Workplace”, Business Week has led with a piece on “Religion in the Workplace: The Growing Presence of Spirituality in Corporate America”, and there have been numerous articles in the Financial Times, the Times and the Wall Street Journal dealing with similar issues."

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Edwin Starr - War.