Do you have a spiritual workplace? Do you want one? Could you create one? Is it even possible to do so? The concept seems like an oxymoron. How can you blend spirituality and work, especially at a secular workplace? It’s not only easy but also necessary if you want your employees and your business to thrive.
Everything is connected
We like to think there is separation between body, mind, and spirit, but there isn’t. We also like to think there is separation between work, home, family, friends, community, finances, and the environment, but there isn’t. Everything is intertwined. Everything affects everything, and everything is connected.
Employee wellness as method
This is why, in part, worksite wellness is a field that is ever expanding in scope. When a company focuses on employee well-being, everything improves — not just the health of individuals, but also overall employee engagement, productivity, creativity, customer service, sales, recruitment, retention, and so on.
Why do you think that is? Is it a product of physical health improving? Some may say so, but over the years I’m sure you’ve met some pretty healthy or physically fit people who were not mentally, spiritually, or socially well. Equally, you’ve probably met some people who have been challenged with health conditions or who are not very physically fit, but are intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and socially amazing individuals.
So, while everything is intertwined, not everything is causal, nor are there perfect formulas. Why? Because we can’t control all the variables. For example, someone can be following all the recommended healthy lifestyle behaviors, managing their emotions, have healthy relationships, have a fulfilling profession, have enough money, and still get diagnosed with cancer. We can’t control nor predict everything.
Wholeness
So, what can we do? We can start by seeing the whole rather than the pieces. We can notice that we are not body, or mind, or spirit, but all one. We can notice that we are not individuals who are separate from our relationships or work or home or community, but that we are all connected to everyone and everything all the time.
This seems big, I know. Hang in there with me.
Spirituality
What does this have to do with spirituality? Everything!
First, let’s define body, mind, and spirit to assist us. The body is the physical, the part of us that we can see, touch, feel, move, and so on. The mind is the intellect, cognition, thoughts, and processing of information and feelings. So, what is the spirit?
Most of us freeze in fear at this question because there is a connotation with religious belief systems about the spirit or soul. However, taking religion out of it for a moment, let’s rethink the definition of the spirit.
Consider this — if our body changes (if we lose or gain weight, get older, get an injury, illness, or disability, or even lose a limb) are we still the same person? Yes, of course! And if our mind changes (our thoughts, feelings, knowledge, experience, attitudes, beliefs, fears, and perspectives), are we still the same person? Yes, of course! So, then, who are you? Are you just your body and/or your mind? No, of course not! There is an identity or essence of “you” that is timeless and changeless. That’s your spirit.
The spirit is the “you” that has looked out your eyes your entire life and watches as a compassionate witness as your life unfolds. It’s the “you” that people who love you see, feel, and know. It’s the “you” that is emotionally touched by moments of love, peace, and beauty. It’s the “you” that creates your sense of meaning and purpose. It is the “you” that feels the will to live and desire to thrive. And it’s the “you” that feels connected to others — humanity, nature, and all life.
Spirituality is the quality, condition, and fostering of the spiritual essence. It is the attention and intention of noticing, appreciating, and igniting the human spirit. Now, we don’t usually use the term spirit, spiritual, or spirituality at work because we don’t want to offend anyone, nor appear like we are taking a stance on a religious view, and we want to be inclusive of all religions and belief systems. However, just like I stated before, let’s take religion out of the equation in order to use the terms freely.
Spirituality for a workplace is simply the practice of paying attention to our company’s energy, vitality, and vibe. Some questions to help you think about this: Who are you as a company? Not your products, finances, statistics, or even strategic goals, but instead what are you about? If someone were to describe you, what would they say? More importantly, what would they feel? What would your employees say? What does it feel like to be a part of your company? Does it feel alive? Does it feel like there is a sense of vitality, mission, purpose, positive potential, and drive? Do employees feel connected? Do employees feel like they are inspired to be a part of something bigger than themselves?
(Continued)
Spiritual connection
As I’ve stated already, everything is intertwined. Your spirit is connected with everyone else’s whom you’re around. Each of us has a spirit, and together we have collective spirit. Think of a high school sports game with the cheerleaders or crowd yelling, “We have spirit, yes, we do! We have spirit, how about you?”
Our spirit is not just individual, it’s collective — and yes, especially in workplaces. The spirit of the workplace is akin to our human spirit. It’s our workplace’s identity, essence, energy, aliveness, and sense of meaning, purpose, positive potential, and drive.
We are not just a bunch of bodies, like machines, doing work. Nor are we just a bunch of minds, like computers that process information. We are alive! We have vitality or a life force that runs through our veins. We are human spirits, and together we are spiritual.
Fostering spirit
In order to foster the spirit, we need to go deep. For wellness, it’s not enough for us to just talk about our bodies, health, or lifestyle behaviors, and for business it’s not enough for us to talk about products, production, policies, sales, and finance. All important things, yes. However, if we really want to thrive, we must get real, get deep, and get inspirational.
We must be vulnerable and authentic with each other and ourselves. We must be brave to go into the depth of our spirit, and we must be vigilant to provide the safe space that bears witness, appreciates, validates, and inspires the human spirit. If we do this together, we will surely thrive, because we are all connected.
Spirituality at work? Absolutely! It is who we truly are.
Want to foster the spirit of your company?
Here are some tips to start:
- Share this article with your senior management to start the conversation.
- Create a meeting to discuss.
- Ask for a volunteer senior management “champion” to lead this effort.
- Create a “fostering spirit” or “culture” workgroup or committee.
- Assess your company’s vision, mission, and core values — do they speak to who you are?
- Assess your company’s spirit or culture by asking your employees, anonymously through a survey, questions like:
- Do you feel we represent our vision, mission, and core values?
- Which of the following qualities define our culture at large? Offer a list of qualities that they can check off and mark all that apply, such as: welcoming, friendly, positive, optimistic, hopeful, loving, compassionate, supportive, creative, innovative, fun, kind, hardworking, dedicated, driven, judgmental, critical, negative, stressful, frustrating, competitive, cutthroat, joyless, etc.
- Would you recommend working for our company to others?
- Do you feel safe to be yourself or express yourself here?
- Do you feel seen, heard, and valued here?
- Do you feel connected to others here?
- Do you feel a part of a collective positive mission or direction here?
- Do you feel that we have energy and vitality?
- Do you feel a sense of meaning and purpose working for us?
- Do you feel inspired by working here?
- Do you feel that we “foster the human spirit” here?
- Do you have any ideas or suggestions for improvement?
- Review results and make plans for improvements (if needed).
- Decide if you want to add “fostering spirit” or “culture” to your annual strategic planning initiatives each year.
Most importantly, even if you don’t or can’t do this at your company as a strategic effort, do it with YOU. Who are you? What are your values? What gives you meaning? What makes you feel alive? As you foster your own human spirit, it will ripple out and positively affect others. Yes, you are that powerful!
It all starts with you.
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