Spirituality in the Workplace: A Socialistic Sprinkle in a Capitalist
Work Society?
by Joan Marques
Published
on this site: March 20th, 2004
In the past years I have done some intense thinking and exploring
on the topic of spirituality in the workplace. And there certainly
is much to explore, as an increasing number of authors interested
in management excellence and outstanding organizational performance
mechanisms examine this phenomenon.
Through readings, interviews, and casual conversations about workplace
practices, an interesting idea emerged in my mind: Is not spirituality
in the workplace simply a grain of socialism in a capitalist work
society?
Since there are multiple interpretations possible for both ideologies,
some of which may even have an extremely negative connotation to
some readers, I consider it imperative to first clarify the definitions
I am working with
here:
Capitalism:
Dictionary.com explains capitalism as: An economic system in which
the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately
owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment
of profits gained in a free market.
The above definition for capitalism is the one I consider most
applicable to the societal circumstances in the U.S., and in most
countries that consider themselves having a free market economy.
Socialism:
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, as well as Dictionary.com,
provides a wide variety of definitions for socialism. The 2 definitions
that closely resemble my perception of this ideology are the following:
- A stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between
capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution
of goods and pay according to work done. (Merriam-Webster)
- A theory or system of social reform, which contemplates a complete
reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution
of property and labor. (Dictionary.com)
Now that these definitions are presented, it is not more than rational
to also clarify my idea of a spiritual workplace. It is, after all,
not a secret that spirituality means various things to various people,
and that, consequently, spirituality in the workplace has different
meanings for different individuals. Some confuse it with religion,
while others consider it too ethereal to belong in the corporate
environment.
However, after thorough reading and dialoguing with people from
various walks of life, I came to the conclusion that spirituality
in the workplace has all characteristics of good management behavior,
in which workers at all levels are respected and valued, and where
reciprocal understanding and cooperation are nurtured, while backstabbing
and internal competition are discouraged.
Spirituality in the workplace, thus, involves an environment where
interconnectedness among workers is optimal, because all workers
participate in the work-process with their best mindset, and perform
to their best capacities. They get encouraged by the overall atmosphere
of helpfulness and accessibility at all levels; the friendliness;
the understanding; the atmosphere of trust; and the general feeling
of “we-ness” that prevails. And since their leaders keep
them involved in processes, changes, and important decisions, and
keep them informed about organizational goals, they feel connected
with the purpose of the organization as well.
This whole set of good and encouraging behavior expresses itself
through optimal performance from all workers, resulting in optimal
performance of the organization. And optimal performance of the
organization leads to longevity for the company, translated in enhanced
job security, which, in turn, increases the devotion, dedication,
and self-esteem of the workers. Result: an upward spiral that just
cannot go wrong in any way.
So, here is the issue: The cooperative nature of a spiritual workplace
-- the interconnectedness, and the “we”-spirit among all
workers -- is very much in line with the ideal socialistic mindset
as presented above, although it does not necessarily negatively
affect the capitalist mindset!
For, while “the means of production and distribution”
are still “privately or corporately owned,” and “development”
is still “proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment
of profits gained in a free market” (see Dictionary.com’s
definition of capitalism above), this very development is now achieved
by a “reconstructed” workplace that enhances “a more
just and equitable” sense of ownership among the work society
(derived from Dictionary.com’s definition of socialism above).
Of course deliberate ill performers will still be rewarded less,
but that, too, fits in the earlier presented definitions of socialism
(see last part of the Merriam-Webster definition for socialism:
“pay according to work done”). And fortunately, a spiritual
workplace, by its very nature, inspires high performance from all
workers, so that the problem of deliberate ill performance rarely
occurs.
All I am stating here is that no extreme system or practice seems
to have a lasting impact. The best results are always achieved by
interaction, understanding, and the application of the best elements
of all factors at stake. Some examples? In teams the best long-term
results are achieved by the united efforts of members with various
backgrounds, educations, and cultures. In the general evolution
of inventions (think of cars and entertainment devices), the best
creations ultimately emerged after inputs from various disciplines:
the innovativeness of the American and the precision of the Japanese.
So, why would it not be the intertwinement of two seemingly opposing
ideologies – the encouragement for individual excellence and
development of capitalism, combined with the collective and equitable
approach of socialism -- that turns out to be the ultimate guarantee
for lasting organizational success: spirituality in the workplace?
Joan Marques, Burbank, March 12, 2004
Joan Marques emigrated from Suriname, South America, to California,
U.S., in 1998. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership,
a Master’s in Business Administration, and is currently a university
instructor in Business and Management in Burbank, California. You
may visit her web sites at http://www.joanmarques.com
and http://www.spiritcounts.com.
Joan's manual "Feel Good About Yourself," a six part series
to get you over the bumps in life and onto success, can be purchased
and downloaded at:
http://www.non-books.com/FeelGoodSeries.html.
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