Religious Diversification Today
Religious diversification in the workplace is an issue employers will always face.
Management of this diversity is necessary so that employees can reach their full potential,
maximize productivity, and create a positive work environment by which everybody is
accommodated. By understanding the positives and negatives of having religion and
spirituality in the workplace, it is clear that there are advantages and disadvantages.
Positive aspects of integrating religion or spirituality into the workplace may include
improved worker performance and better relationships between management and
employees. There are disadvantages as well, such as discrimination, and resistance to
religious culture, which can reduce productivity and may lead to legal issues.
Law and Regulation
The most common way a company integrates religious views into their work
place would depend if the company were public or privately held. For example, if the
CEO of a private organization was Christian there might be rules for allowing extra
prayer time at the work. Under federal law, regarding religious expression in private work
areas, “Employees should be permitted to engage in private religious expression in
personal work areas not regularly open to the public”(Earp, 2008). Publicly held
organizations must allow for prayer during the day and if the other employees are atheist
or another religion they must be respectful. As long as work is being completed during
work hours all religious practice is acceptable. Under federal law, “religious expression
directed at fellow employees is permitted to engage in religious expression directed at
fellow employees, and may even attempt to persuade fellow employees of the correctness
of their religious views”(Earp, 2013). Employees must stop such religious expression
when a fellow employee asks that it stops.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace segregation based on
religion. Religious discrimination involves treating a person unfairly because of his or her
religious views. Those in management positions must be aware than religious
discrimination can also involve treating someone differently because that person is
married to someone of a different religion. It is illegal to discriminate when it comes to
hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, and even benefits. In
1997 the Clinton administration passed the laws for federal employees regarding
religious expression. Federal law states, “Federal employees may engage in personal
expression to the greatest extent possible, consistent with workplace efficiency…federal
employers may not discriminate in employment on the basis of religion… All
government agencies must reasonably accommodate employee’s religious
practices”(Federal Guidelines, 1997).
Harassment is also an issue not taken lightly and can result in a lawsuit in various
ways. Harassment, for example, could include offensive remarks about a person’s
religious beliefs or practices. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand
comments, or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious, harassment is illegal when it is
so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it
results in an adverse employment decision such as the victim being fired or demoted. The
harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a
customer (EEOC, 2013). Comments regarding another employee’s religion constitute
harassment if they impact the work environment and make it difficult for the employee to
fulfill his job duties. For example, if other employees are discussing their religious views,
this is not harassment even if another employee is offended by it. Preaching one’s faith to
other employees or trying to convert them can also fall under the umbrella of religious
harassment, especially if it interferes with job performance or if employers fail to address
employee complaints (Williams, 2013).
Also, an employer or manager cannot grant a promotion or benefits to an
employee simply because of their religious beliefs. Stereotyping is something managers
must be careful to avoid. For example, if a business owner hired a Jewish person as CFO
based on the biased belief that Jews are “good with money,” that would be discriminatory
and could result in a lawsuit. On the other hand, an employer who favors non-religious
employees also violates the law as well. Management of any organization needs to be
