An Exploratory Study of Spirituality in German Enterprises

Abstract

Spirituality at work is increasingly attracting attention in management research, especially in the Anglo-Saxon and Asian contexts. However, for the German context, we know little about spirituality at work from scientific research, and findings and results from other sources are broadly scattered. Using a mixed-methods approach, we collect first findings on employer’s perception of spirituality at work and specific HRM practices in German workplaces. We analyse daily newspapers and related best-practice publications and conduct a small-scale qualitative employer survey in Northern Germany. To structure the results, we propose three main impact perspectives on spirituality in the workplace (workforce diversity, employee needs, and employer capabilities) as well as different employer stances in dealing with these three perspectives, from faith-avoiding to faith-based (Miller & Ewest, 2015). In all three perspectives and stances, companies already implement different HR activities under different expectations and perceptions. Some German organisations already address the needs perspective by room-related tools, working time-related tools, food-related offers, and instruments that facilitate coordination and cooperation in multi-religious settings. Employer stances differ concerning religious and non-religious spirituality. While employers view nonreligious spirituality in the company as generally positive (faith-friendly), they are often sceptical of religious spirituality at work (faith-avoiding or faith-safe).