How to Practice Faith at Work Without Offending Others Inbox Michael Tumillo

From today’s “Good Morning America” Program on ABC, 7/19/07.
As a Workplace Chaplain myself, I take a keen interest in stories of this nature.
If you’re a person in the business world, so should you.

Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Workplace Chaplain
How to Practice Faith at Work
Without Offending Others
Here’s How Some Employers Integrate Religion
Into the Workplace

By TORY JOHNSON
July 19, 2007

The United States has a work force that mirrors the global economy we
live in, where diversity, including religious, is more evident than ever
before. We have a president who talks often and openly about his faith
on the job. And as a society, more people who don’t identify themselves
as particularly religious are saying they crave a greater connectivity to
spirituality. Employees as a whole are just more comfortable talking
about religion today, and many don’t believe they should have to check
that part of their identity at the reception desk when they arrive for work.

Advocates of programs that support religion in the workplace truly
believe that when you embrace an employee as a whole person, which
includes his or her religious convictions, you get a better worker - one
who is loyal, happy and productive. It’s the same theory behind offering
benefits to working parents.

Most companies tend to be faith-friendly more so than being faith-based,
and they’re offering ways for employees to honor their religions.

Ways to Practice Faith at Work Internal groups or prayer space. Some
companies have employee-run faith networks, which are voluntary to
join just as employees would participate in a company-sponsored
baseball team or a women’s group.

They may meet regularly with agendas ranging from Bible studies to the
development of service projects that honor God. Sometimes they may
take on specific workplace causes that are rooted in religion.

For example, at Ford Motor Co., its Interfaith Network, which represents
all faiths, lobbied executives to install special sinks and washrooms to
accommodate the prayer needs of Muslim employees. Other companies
have small areas designated for private prayer.

On-site chaplains.

Like other voluntary employee benefits, more employers are now paying
for a visit from a chaplain. Marketplace Chaplains, the largest supplier
of corporate chaplains nationwide, says it adds a new client company
every 70 hours. It employees more than 2,000 chaplains who make on-site
visits to companies, ranging from law firms to chicken-processing plants,
where they minister to people of all faiths or no faith at all.

The concept is that people will open up to those they feel comfortable
with. Sometimes it starts with chitchat about sports or kids. But then when
a problem comes up - such as marital challenges or a sick relative -
employees will often turn to the chaplain. Employers know that most of us
won’t go to our human resources department or our boss with private,
personal problems, but many of us will open up to trusted clergy.

Such services and conversations are both confidential and voluntary. There’s
no pressure to participate in the informal dialogue. Because most of these
are two-minute conversations, it’s hardly distracting from work. When someone
does have a lengthy issue to discuss, he or she might ask the chaplain to meet
during a break or at lunch time.

Don’t Impose Religion on Others

The freedom to express religion in the workplace is upheld by the Civil Rights
Act. It states that not only can someone not be discriminated against because of
religion, but that employers must provide reasonable accommodations of
employee’s religious beliefs and observances, so long as they do not cause harm
to the company. That means reasonable time off for religious holidays or breaks
for prayers.

But plenty of employers and employees believe that we go to work to work, and
there’s no place for religion on the job. They say leave your prayer to churches,
temples or other places of worship. While these opponents have no desire to
violate any laws, they’re just not eager to embrace or promote religion at work.

The freedom to express your religious views shouldn’t be at the expense of
alienating or harassing someone who doesn’t share those views. Religion can
be awfully divisive, which can cause problems on the job. Be sure you’re
honoring yourself and your religion without talking about it or practicing it in
a manner that imposes unfairly on co-workers. Don’t penalize people for not
wanting to partake.

Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor at “Good Morning America”
and the CEO of Women for Hire.