Spirituality in the Workplace

Workplace spirituality has been defined as a framework for organizational values that is part of the culture, connection, and future. AKA is a small woman-owned, spirit-led business. Our mission and vision direct us toward programs, research, evaluation, and communities that match our values, theories, and interests. Because spirituality is essential for wellness, well teams, and well communities, we designed this study to explore AKA team member views about spirituality and how they incorporate spirituality in their work. The following research questions to guide this study: 1) What are some spiritual practices of AKA team members? and 2) How do spiritual practices influence the inner self, outer self, and team/clients? Methods: Data for this study were collected from AKA Associates with Zoom interviews from May 2023 to July 2023. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed using Otter.ai, cleaned, and coded using thematic analysis. Results: The research team contacted twelve AKA associates; nine were eligible to participate. Two were male, and seven were female. The thematic analysis revealed three major workplace spirituality themes: beliefs, practices, and experiences. Spiritual beliefs varied among the team. Many cited a belief in God or a higher power. Others mentioned goodness, altruism, and a Divine connection to the path they are on. AKA associates’ practices vary from prayer, journaling, forgiveness, burning sage, being in nature, attending church, having joy, gratitude, and involvement in church/faith communities. AKA associates talked about their varied experiences, including service, generosity, empowerment, grounding, integrity/accountability, advocacy, and authenticity. Discussion: This qualitative study found that beliefs, practices, and experiences create connections and enduring relationships. Within the AKA team, beliefs varied about spirituality. Some believed in a Creator or God; others talked about a higher power, goodness, or nothing. Spirituality in the workplace has the potential to improve the health and well-being of employees and clients served. Spiritual beliefs vary within individuals and organizations; what is most important is the experiences that result from a spiritual orientation. When personal, organizational, and spiritual values align, growth, creativity, and innovation happen.