Just this morning a friend of mine was reminiscing about the good old days
at work when people got turkeys or gift baskets instead of gift certificates
at Christmas, and when there were regular boat trips and park celebrations
where every worker could bring his or her family along. My friend was
mulling over the liveliness that preceded those events: the female
colleagues agreed among each other about the dishes to prepare, and the male
workers made sure all the attributes for the trip were coordinated well. The
essence of these gatherings, my friend recollected, was to bring workers of
all levels together and give them the opportunity to get to know each other
in a different setting. It increased the mutual bond, and it enhanced
understanding and empathy.
But somewhere down the line the company decided, just like so many others,
that a present at Christmas was too much hassle, and that the risk of
organizing family days was too big. What if someone got hurt during the
event? How easily wouldnÆt the company be sued over a frivolous issue? In
other words: how hazardous could these seemingly innocent gatherings become
for the corporation?
Here is a point to ponder: it may very well be that the escalating amount of
lawsuits in recent years for even the most simple irregularities lies at the
core of the present cautious and impersonal approach of many U.S.
corporations. Understandably. But at the same time, the sense of
togetherness and learning to accept each other as more than just a
production factor in the work setting has diminished to worrisome degrees.
And here is where the paradox of the surging call for spirituality at work
comes peeking around the corner. Increasingly, authors, workplace analysts,
social researchers, and maturing employees plea for the need for better
understanding between co-workers at all levels, because they think that this
will enhance the willingness among workers to contribute more than just the
required skills, and it will give those who have to spend so many hours in
the same environment with each other a better sense of purpose and a higher
level of satisfaction. Interconnectedness is the magic word here.
But how can there be any interconnectedness if people are robbed from the
one activity that would enhance it in the first place: getting to know and
value each other as whole beings, in which gatherings outside the workplace
play an important role? We may as well admit it: indirectly this
estrangement from family-activities has been caused by the same society that
is now yearning for it. And as a conclusion may serve that the current
absence of spirituality in the workplace may have been brought upon us
byàourselves.
Just look at it from this angle: it is pretty difficult for any work
organization to continue sponsoring out-of-work activities, if the chance
for a multi million dollar lawsuit lurks behind every employeeÆs and his or
her family-membersÆ back. The business environment is hard and competitive
enough as it is. Businesses have to remain on their toes in order to stay
abreast of the developments in their area of expertise. New inventions and
the subsequent changes in market demands occur at a much faster pace than
ever.
And, while spirituality in the workplace can be a valuable contribution
toward better relationships in the work environment, and therefore, toward
higher productivity through increased cooperation, it is not stimulated by
employers. Not necessarily by choice, but as a result of the ever prowling
threat of escalating and costly repercussions of an over-sensitive society.
Joan Marques, Burbank, February 7, 2004
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About the Author:
Joan Marques, holds an MBA, is a doctoral candidate in Organizational
Leadership, and a university instructor in Business and Management in
Burbank, California. You may visit her web site at www.joanmarques.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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It is better to live in serene poverty than in hectic abundance. Everything
has a price. The price for nurturing your soul is turning away from
excessive stress, destruction of self-respect, and the constant strive in
lifestyle with the Joneses. But itÆs worth it.
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