‘Good Work’ and Alternative Food Initiatives: A Workplace Spirituality Perspective

This paper explores ‘good work’ as purpose-driven organizing for positive social impact in the case of alternative food initiatives (AFIs). AFIs accommodate alternative ways of food production and consumption that tackle the world's pressing sustainability challenges. Considering the centrality of workers’ motives, beliefs for generating/sustaining alternative and spiritual work/organizational contexts, this study bridges the knowledge on AFIs and workplace spirituality (WS) through the individual-level perspective. The paper explores AFI members’ workplace motives and experiences to understand how these individuals make sense of their work, and to draw insights on what ‘good work’ entails in this organizational realm. Data were collected via a two-phase study from a total of 28 members of organizations based in Glasgow, Scotland. The results show that AFI members’ work drivers include spiritual (as other-regarding) motives and that the perceived value of their work is in contributing to the welfare of others through a workspace of belonging, freedom and care. The findings suggest that a WS perspective can help in understanding how AFI members approach their work to create (greater) good. Drawing on the lessons from the case analysis within the AFI context, this paper highlights the relevance of WS for repurposing work and organizing.