Paper Example on Workplace Spirituality

Introduction

Spirituality in the workplace according to the author is disparately contested and should not be given priority as a determinant of diversity in an organization. Spirituality is the sense of being connected to something that is bigger than ourselves and can significantly influence the behavior and character of the employees. Anything that influences an employee behavior affects the employee relationship with other employees within an organization. However, the author argues that spirituality does not have a significant impact on the organization team's interactions. Religion Pluralism

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

According to Hicks (2002), employee-specific religious expressions can influence a team's diversity and how employees in the team interact with each other. Employee interactions can significantly influence their ability to accomplish the organization tasks based on religious conflicts that limit the interactions of the employees. As such, it is important for an ideal organization to promote diversity through religious pluralism where every employee is entitled to their religious expression. Religious and Spirituality Diversity

According to Hicks (2002), religion and spiritual diversity can significantly influence the diversity of organization teams, and both aspects should be identified and managed to reduce employee's antagonism. The outcomes of the teams depend on the ability of the people from different spirituality and religions to work together without bias. Organizations should encourage both spirituality and religion pluralism to eliminate possible conflicts that derail the participation of the employees to accomplish the organizational goals as a team. Therefore, both spirituality and religion are important aspects of a diverse workforce and should be recognized.

Importance of Diversity

According to Ostrom (2008), diversity is an important aspect of any organization that should be recognized and embraced to promote the organization performance and satisfaction of the employees. Societies according to the author are made by diverse people with different cognitive skills, behaviors and professionalism. Sustaining diversity in teams increases the outcomes of the team by creating a pool of ideas and perspectives that are required to meet an organization needs. Training, experiences and genes are ways in which diversity is exhibited in teams and organizations and promoting heterogeneity directly benefits the organizations. Organizations engage in continuous problem solving, and employee's diversity can significantly increase the ideas at the disposal of the organization. Different Perspectives

People have different perspectives on various aspects of the issues facing societies and organizations today. Diversity can significantly be used as a tool for innovation and meeting the heterogeneous needs in the societies and organizations today. Since the society is heterogeneous organizations and groups should seek more significant representation of the people and allow diversity to influence decision making and products creation. Therefore, according to Ostrom (2008), diversity is substantial and both societies and organizations should seek to create greater diversity. Diversity Increases Outcomes

Ostrom (2008) argues that instead of seeing diversity as a problem organization should perceive diversity as an opportunity and possibility to increase the overall organization outcomes. In a society created by diverse people, diverse organizations help meet the organization needs by combining talents and competencies. Businesses and communities should use diversity as an opportunity to solve problems based on diverse ideas and approaches that diverse societies and organizations present.

Workplace Meetings and Diversity

Workplace meetings are held on the premise of meeting set organization goals but they are made by diverse people with diverse backgrounds both ethnically, regarding experience and age. As such, business organizations should use workplace interactions in meetings as an avenue to promote diversity by ensuring that every employee in a workplace meeting can freely express themselves. Meetings are held to seek solutions for organization problems and also create new insight. An organization that lacks diversity regarding employees cannot be able to meet the needs of a diverse society which could result in a homogenous approach that derails progress. The leader of organization meetings should be aware of the importance of diversity and promote harmony and respect of differences amongst organization members in the meetings. Therefore, the author encouraged observance and encouragement of diversity in the workplace meetings.

Interpersonal Congruence

According to Polzer, Milton, & Swarm Jr, (2002), interpersonal congruence is the ability of the members of groups in organizations from different diversities to interact and share knowledge and resources. The lack of interpersonal congruence in organizations results in conflicts that limit team's outcomes in organized groups. Organizations should encourage interpersonal congruence through social integration to create more efficient and productive teams.

Cross-Cultural Diversity

Sulsky (1999) notes that cultural diversity in organizations can influence the efficiency and processes in team-based activities. The author establishes different theories from a liberal point of view to create diversity in the workplace especially within organization teams. The author notes that organizations should seek to create diverse cross-cultural teams and create an environment that recognizes the importance of diversity in the overall performance of the organization. Cross-cultural diversity can significantly influence the organization team's efficiency, and teamwork psychology should be encouraged.

References

Hicks, D. A. (2002). Spiritual and religious diversity in the workplace: Implications for leadership. The leadership quarterly, 13(4), 379-396.

Ostrom, E. (2008). The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies. By Page Scott E. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007. 448p. $27.95 cloth, $19.95 paper. Perspectives on Politics, 6(4), 828-829.

Polzer, J. T., Milton, L. P., & Swarm Jr, W. B. (2002). Capitalizing on diversity: Interpersonal congruence in small workgroups. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(2), 296-324.

Sulsky, L. M. (1999). Review of Commitment in the workplace: Theory, research, and application (Vol. 40, No. 4, p. 383). Canadian Psychological Association.

Svennevig, J. (2012). Interaction in workplace meetings. Discourse studies, 14(1), 3-10.