Skip to main content
Log in

Religious Diversity at Workplace: a Literature Review

  • Overview article
  • Published:
Humanistic Management Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The globalization, increased migration, and mobility of workforce necessitate the need to study religious diversity in organizations, which has not yet received adequate academic attention of management scholars. The paper attempts to define and understand the nuances of religious diversity with the help of certain theories from psychology and sociology domains. It aims to present the legal provisions of different countries regarding workplace religious discrimination and endeavours to synthesize and analyze the pros and cons of religious diversity at workplace. The paper follows a systematic literature review approach. The descriptive analysis of search results and thematic analysis of the literature reviewed has been presented. It is found that the theories from other domains can be borrowed to understand the root cause of different perceptions for religious diversity. The favourable and unfavourable outcomes of workplace religious diversity have been identified and categorized at two levels i.e. individual and organizational. It is realized that the favourable outcomes of bringing religion to workplace outnumber the unfavourable outcomes and therefore it is time to leverage workplace religious diversity. Lastly, the paper attempts to equip the human resource managers with certain strategies to better deal with religious diversity issues at the workplace.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aadland, E., and M. Skjorshammer. 2012. From God to good? Faith-based institutions in the secular society. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 9: 83–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achour, M., M.R. Nor, M.Y. Zulkifli, and M. Yusoff. 2015. Work-family demands and subjective well-being among female academicians: The role of Muslim religiosity. Review of Religious Research 57: 419–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albrecht, C. 2006. A Comment on Koerber and Neck's (2006) “Religion in the Workplace: Implications for Financial Fraud and Organizational Decision Making”, Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, Vol. 4 , 87–94. 

  • Ammerman, N.T. 2010. The challenges of pluralism: Locating religion in a world of diversity. Social Compass 57: 154–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bader, V., K. Alidadi, and F. Vermeulen. 2013. Religious diversity and reasonable accommodation in the workplace in six European countries: An introduction. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 13: 54–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beane, D., A. Ponnapalli, and C. Viswesvaran. 2017. Workplace religious displays and perceptions of organization attractiveness. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 29 (2): 73–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, E., S. Taylor, and C. Driscoll. 2011. Varieties of organizational soul: The ethics of belief in organizations. Organization 19: 425–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, L.J., C. Essers, and A. Himi. 2017. Muslim employees within ‘white’ organizations: The case of Moroccan workers in the Netherlands. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 28: 1119–1139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, V., and V. Clarke. 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3: 77–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, D., and M.A. Sargeant. 2007. Job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and religious commitment of full-time university employees. Journal of Research on Christian Education 16: 211–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buri, J.R., and R.A. Mueller. 1993. Psychoanalytic theory and loving God concepts: Parent referencing versus self-referencing. The Journal of Psychology 127: 17–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burris, C.T., and L.M. Jackson. 2000. Social identity and the true believer: Responses to threatened self-stereotypes among the intrinsically religious. British Journal of Social Psychology 39: 257–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadge, W., P. Levitt, and D. Smilde. 2011. De-centering and re-centering: Rethinking concepts and methods in the sociological study of religion. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 50: 437–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carneiro, E.M., S.A. Navinchandra, L. Vento, R.P. Timoteo, and M. de Fatima Borges. 2019. Religiousness/spirituality, resilience and burnout in employees of a public hospital in Brazil. Journal of Religion and Health 58 (2): 677–685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cintas, C., B. Gosse, and E. Vatteville. 2013. Religious identity: A new dimension of HRM? A French view. Employee Relations 35: 576–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coca-Cola Company. (2019, January 1). Diversity and inclusion. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/shared-future/diversity-and-inclusion

  • Crocker, J., and B. Major. 1989. Social stigma and self-esteem: The self-protective properties of stigma. Psychological Review 96: 608–630.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J.D. 2008. Religious stratification: Its origins, persistence, and consequences. Sociology of Religion 69: 371–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, K.L., and C.J. Fornaciari. 2007. Empirical research in management, spirituality & religion during its founding years. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 4: 3–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, K.L., S.R. Safranski, and E.S. Lee. 2014. Religious accommodation in the workplace: Understanding religious identity threat and workplace behaviors in legal disputes. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 26: 75–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, K.L., S.R. Safranski, and E.S. Lee. 2015. Bad apples, behaving badly? Workplace religious discrimination disputes and resolution behaviors. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 12: 227–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di, D., and E.H. Ecklund. 2017. Producing sacredness and defending secularity: Faith in the workplace of Taiwanese scientists. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World 3: 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodd, S.D., and G. Gotsis. 2007. The interrelationships between entrepreneurship and religion. Entrepreneurship and Innovation 8: 93–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy, R.D., L. Reid, and B.J. Dik. 2010. Spirituality, religion, and career development: Implications for the workplace. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion 7: 209–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekpendu, I.C., O. Egbuta, and C. Ikechi-Ekpendu. 2019. Effect of religious diversity on job satisfaction of selected manufacturing firms in Nigeria. International Journal of Philosophy and Theology 7 (1): 50–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ely, R.J., and D.A. Thomas. 2001. Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly 46: 229–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Essers, C., and Y. Benschop. 2009. Muslim businesswomen doing boundary work: The negotiation of Islam, gender and ethnicity within entrepreneurial contexts. Human Relations 62: 403–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Exline, J.J., and D.S. Bright. 2011. Spiritual and religious struggles in the workplace. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 8: 123–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrukh, M., C.W. Ying, and N.O. Ahmed. 2016. Organizational commitment: Does religiosity matter? Cogent Business & Management 3: 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foblets, M.-C. 2013. Freedom of religion and belief in the European workplace: Which way forward and what role for the European Union? International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 13: 240–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fregosi, F., and D. Kosulu. 2013. Religion and religious discrimination in the French workplace: Increasing tensions, heated debates, perceptions of labour unionists, pragmatic best practices. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 13: 194–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gebert, D., S. Boerner, and D. Chatterjee. 2011. Do religious differences matter? An analysis in India. Team Performance Management: An International Journal 17: 224–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gebert, D., S. Boerner, E. Kearney, J.E. King Jr., K. Zhang, and L.J. Song. 2014. Expressing religious identities in the workplace: Analyzing a neglected diversity dimension. Human Relations 67 (5): 543–563.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghumman, S., and L. Jackson. 2010. The downside of religious attire: The Muslim headscarf and expectations of obtaining employment. Journal of Organizational Behavior 31 (1): 4–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghumman, S., A.M. Ryan, L.A. Barclay, and K.S. Markel. 2013. Religious discrimination in the workplace: A review and examination of current and future trends. Journal of Business and Psychology 28 (4): 439–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gough, D., S. Oliver, and J. Thomas. 2017. An introduction to systematic reviews. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graafland, J., M. Kaptein, and C. Mazereeuw. 2007. Conceptions of God, normative convictions, and socially responsible business conduct. Business & Society 46: 331–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grekova, M., Kyurkchieva, I., & Kosseva, M. (2013). Accommodation of religious diversity at the workplace through the prism of state–religion relations: The Bulgarian case. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law, 13(2-3):169–193.

  • Hage, J., and B.Z. Posner. 2015. Religion, religiosity, and leadership practices: An examination in the Lebanese workplace. Leadership & Organization Development Journal 36: 396–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haq, R. 2015. Accommodating religious diversity in the Canadian workplace: The hijab predicament in Quebec and Ontario. In Managing religious diversity in the workplace: Examples from around the world, ed. Stefan Groschl and Regine Bendl, 31–52. Surrey: Gower Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haq, R., and E.S.W. Ng. 2010. Employment equity and workplace diversity in Canada. In International handbook on diversity management at work: Country perspectives on diversity and equal treatment, ed. A. Klarsfeld, 68–82. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haq, R., A. Klarsfeld, A. Kornau, and F.W. Ngunjiri. 2020. Diversity in India: Addressing caste, disability and gender. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 39 (6): 585–596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardesty, A., J.W. Westerman, R.I. Beekun, J.Z. Bergman, and J.H. Westerman. 2010. Images of God and their role in the workplace. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion 7: 315–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heliot, Y., I.H. Gleibs, A. Coyle, D.M. Rousseau, and C. Rojon. 2020. Religious identity in the workplace: A systematic review, research agenda, and practical implications. Human Resource Management 59 (2): 153–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, P.S., D.A. Beadle, D.E. Harris, T.E. Hood, and S. Venugopal. 2016. Moral and cultural awareness in emerging adulthood: Preparing for multi-faith workplaces. Religions 7: 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyman, R., A. Klarsfeld, E. Ng, and R. Haq. 2012. Introduction: Social regulation of diversity and equality. European Journal of Industrial Relations 18 (4): 279–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, R.L., D.M. Wolfe, R.p. Quinn, and R.A. Rosenthal. 1964. Organizational stress: Studies in role conflict and ambiguity. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, D., and R.L. Kahn. 1978. The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, E.P. 2008. Accommodating religious expression in the workplace. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 20 (1): 45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, S.M. 2007. Religion, spirituality, and the workplace: Challenges for public administration. Public Administration Review 67: 103–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, J.E. 2008. (Dis)missing the obvious. Will mainstream management research ever take religion seriously? Journal of Management Inquiry 17: 214–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, J.E., and G.R. Franke. 2017. Faith bias or religious expression: The real religious diversity challenge? Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 14: 81–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, J.E., and I.O. Williamson. 2005. Workplace religious expression, religiosity and job satisfaction: Clarifying a relationship. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 2 (2): 173–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, J.E., M.P. Bell, and E. Lawrence. 2009. Religion as an aspect of workplace diversity: An examination of the US context and a call for international research. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion 6: 43–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, J.E., P.F. McKay, and M.M. Stewart. 2014. Religious bias and stigma: Attitudes toward working with a Muslim co-worker. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 11: 98–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H.G., M.E. McCullough, and D.B. Larson. 2001. Handbook of religion and health. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Koerber, C.P., and C.P. Neck. 2006. Religion in the workplace: Implications for financial fraud and organizational decision making. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 3: 305–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutcher, E.J., J.D. Bragger, O. Rodriguez-Srednicki, and J.L. Masco. 2010. The role of religiosity in stress, job attitudes, and organizational citizenship behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics 95: 319–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynn, M.L., M.J. Naughton, and S. VanderVeen. 2009. Faith at work scale (FWS): Justification, development, and validation of a measure of Judaeo-Christian religion in the workplace. Journal of Business Ethics 85: 227–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machado, S. S. (2016). Religion in the workplace: The legal framework in Portugal. European Scientific Journal, Special edition, April 2016, 41–46.

  • Marques, J. 2010. Toward greater consciousness in the 21st century workplace: How Buddhist practices fit in. Journal of Business Ethics 92: 211–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marques, J. 2012. Consciousness at work: A review of some important values, discussed from a Buddhist perspective. Journal of Business Ethics 105: 27–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, M., and J. Reynolds. 2018. Religious affiliation and work–family conflict among women and men. Journal of Family Issues 39: 1797–1826.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazereeuw-van der Duijn Schouten, C., J. Graafland, and M. Kaptein. 2014. Religiosity, CSR attitudes, and CSR behavior: An empirical study of executives’ religiosity and CSR. Journal of Business Ethics 123 (3): 437–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McSweeney, M. (2016, August 7). Social Telent. Retrieved from s://www.socialtalent.com/blog/recruitment/10-companies-around-the-world-that-are-embracing-diversity

  • Messarra, L.C. 2014. Religious diversity at work: The perceptual effects of religious discrimination on employee engagement and commitment. Contemporary Management Research 10: 59–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D.W., and T. Ewest. 2015. A new framework for analyzing organizational workplace religion and spirituality. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 12: 305–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nash, L., and S. McLennan. 2001. Church on Sunday, work on Monday: The challenge of fusing Christian values with business life. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neubert, M.J., K.D. Dougherty, J.Z. Park, and J. Griebel. 2014. Beliefs about faith and work: Development and validation of honoring god and prosperity gospel scales. Review of Religious Research 56: 129–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noor, N.M. 2008. Work and women’s well-being: Religion and age as moderators. Journal of Religion and Health 47: 476–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paluck, E.L. 2006. Diversity training and intergroup contact: A call to action research. Journal of Social Issues 62: 577–595.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parboteeah, K.P., M. Hoegl, and J. Cullen. 2009a. Religious dimensions and work obligation: A country institutional profile model. Human Relations 62: 119–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parboteeah, K.P., Y. Paik, and J.B. Cullen. 2009b. Religious groups and work values. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management 9: 51–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paterson, T.A., D. Specht, and D. Duchon. 2013. Exploring costs and consequences of religious expression in family businesses. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 10: 138–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, H.A., and V.R. Kumar. 2012. Managing workplace diversity: Issues and challenges. SAGE Open 2 (2): 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrosko, J.M., and M. Alagaraja. 2017. Research suggestions for management, spirituality, religion. Management Research Review 40: 933–952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettigrew, T.F. 1998. Intergroup contact theory. Annual Review of Psychology 49: 65–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prati, L.M., Y. Liu, and K. Bass. 2007. Religiosity and workplace behavior: A manifestation of emotional intelligence. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 4: 138–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radzi, H.M., L.Z. Ramly, S. Sipon, and K. Othman. 2014. The influence of God consciousness and religiosity in coping with anxiety at workplace among Malaysian Muslim professionals. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity 4: 316–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reeves, T.C., A.P. McKinney, and L. Azam. 2013. Muslim women’s workplace experiences: Implications for strategic diversity initiatives. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal 32: 49–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, C., L. Sinha, and M.S. Yaapar. 2014. Work ethics from the Islamic and Hindu traditions: In quest of common ground. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 11: 65–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaeffer, C.B., and J.S. Mattis. 2012. Diversity, religiosity, and spirituality in the workplace. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 9: 317–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheitle, C.P., and K.E. Corcoran. 2018. Religious tradition and workplace religious discrimination: The moderating effects of regional context. Social Currents 5: 283–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheitle, C.P., and E.H. Ecklund. 2017. Examining the effects of exposure to religion in the workplace on perceptions of religious discrimination. Review of Religious Research 59: 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuyler, K.G. 2007. Being a Bodhisattva at work: Perspectives on the influence of Buddhist practices in entrepreneurial organizations. Journal of Human Values 13: 43–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selznick, L.F. 2020. Mangers and turbans: Nonverbal religious expression in a diverse workplace. University of Baltimore Law Review 49 (2): 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, R.R., and R. Haq. 2017. Hinduism, religious diversity, and spirituality at work in India. In Religious diversity in the workplace, ed. Jawad Syed, Alain Klarsfeld, Faith Wambura Ngunjiri, and Charmine E.J. Hartel, 177–197. Cambridge: UK: Cambridge University Press.

  • Sharma, R.R., and R. Pardasani. 2015. Management of religious diversity by organizations in India. In Managing religious diversity in the workplace: Examples from around the world, ed. Stefan Groschl and Regine Bendl, 223–238. Surrey: Gower Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strhan, A. 2014. Spirituality, Inc.: Religion in the American workplace. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 11: 91–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Syed, J. 2017. A relational perspective on religious diversity at work. In Religious diversity in the workplace, ed. Jawad Syed, Alain Klarsfeld, Faith Wambura Ngunjiri, and Charmine E.J. Hartel, 37–59. Cambridge: UK: Cambridge University Press.

  • Tackney, C.T., S. Chappell, D. Harris, K. Pavlovich, E. Egel, R. Major, et al. 2017. Management, spirituality, and religion (MSR) ways and means: A paper to encourage quality research. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 14: 245–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tajfel, H., and J.C. Turner. 1979. An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In Organizational identity: A reader, ed. M.J. Hatch and M. Schultz, 56–65. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tajfel, H., M.G. Billig, R.P. Bundy, and C. Flament. 1971. Social categorization and intergroup behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology 1: 149–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanyeri-Erdemir, T., Z. Citak, T. Weitzhofer, and M. Erdem. 2013. Religion and discrimination in the workplace in Turkey: Old and contemporary challenges. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 13: 214–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R.J., L.M. Chatters, K.M. Bullard, J.M. Wallace, and J.S. Jackson. 2009. Organizational religious behavior among older African Americans. Research on Aging 31: 440–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Buren, H.J., III, J. Syed, and R. Mir. 2020. Religion as a macro social force affecting business: Concepts, questions, and future research. Business & Society 59 (5): 799–822.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Walt, F., T.S. Mpholo, and P. Jonck. 2016. Perceived religious discrimination as predictor of work engagement, with specific reference to the Rastafari religion. Verbum et Ecclesia 37 (1): 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas, N., and M.T. Loveland. 2011. Befriending the “other”: Pattern of social ties between the religious and non religious. Sociological Perspectives 54: 713–731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vermeulen, F., and R.E. Belhaj. 2013. Accommodating religious claims in the Dutch workplace: Unacknowledged Sabbaths, objecting marriage registrars and pressured faith-based organizations. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 13: 113–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, A.G. 2013. The relationship between the integration of faith and work with life and job outcomes. Journal of Business Ethics 112: 453–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, M., B.R. Wright, and A. Hyde. 2014. Religious affiliation and hiring discrimination in the American South: A field experiment. Social Currents 1: 189–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, G.R., and B. Agle. 2002. Religion in the workplace: Reaffirming complexity. The Academy of Management Review 27 (4): 502–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesselmann, E.D., and K.D. Williams. 2010. The potential balm of religion and spirituality for recovering from ostracism. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion 7: 31–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerman, J.W., B.G. Whitaker, and A. Hardesty. 2013. Belief in God: The differential prediction of workplace values. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 10: 324–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeganeh, H. 2015. Religiosity, socio-economic development and work values: A cross-national study. Journal of Management Development 34: 585–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuval-Davis, N. 2006. Intersectionality and feminist politics. European Journal of Women’s Studies 13: 193–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mansi Babbar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, R.K., Babbar, M. Religious Diversity at Workplace: a Literature Review. Humanist Manag J 6, 229–247 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-021-00105-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-021-00105-1

Keywords

Navigation