Bright Idea: Faith at Work

By Maya Dollarhide

A recent Gallup Poll showed that 45 percent of Americans talk about their faith at work, so employers shouldn't dismiss its motivating power. Rabbi Yitzchak Goldman, author of The Soul Diet: Ten Steps Towards Metaphysical Health, says that people who bring an element of spirituality to the workplace often are healthier and happier employees. "They think the work they do is important to their overall purpose, not just a job. And people with this outlook are less subject to the distractions that cause delays and time-wasting," he says.

Companies are still figuring out how to fully incorporate religion into the workplace. A report by The Conference Board, a New York–based research group, advises companies to recognize the value of allowing workers to take care of their spiritual health. Some companies offer rooms for daily prayers, observe multi-religious holiday calendars and provide awareness about the religions represented in their companies. "Religion is playing a larger role, especially because people spend more time at the office," says Gil Stricklin, a former army chaplain and CEO of Marketplace Chaplains, a nonprofit organization that provides chaplains to U.S. companies. "The benefit for the companies that allow religion in the workplace is clear: They have fewer people calling in sick and a lower turnover rate of employees."