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Spiritual Leadership as a Paradigm for Organizational Transformation and Recovery from Extended Work Hours Cultures

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Abstract

Various explanations are offered to explain why employees increasingly work longer hours: the combined effects of technology and globalization; people are caught up in consumerism; and the “ideal worker norm,” when professionals expect themselves and others to work longer hours. In this article, we propose that the processes of employer recruitment and selection, employee self-selection, cultural socialization, and reward systems help create extended work hours cultures (EWHC) that reinforce these trends. Moreover, we argue that EWHC organizations are becoming more prevalent and that organizations in which long hours have become the norm may recruit for and reinforce workaholic tendencies. Next, we offer spiritual leadership as a paradigm for organizational transformation and recovery from the negative aspects of EWHC to enhance employee well-being and corporate social responsibility without sacrificing profitability, revenue growth, and other indicators of financial performance. Finally, we will offer suggestions for future theory, research, and practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tarleton State University – Central Texas, 1901 South Clear Creek Road, Killeen, TX, 76549, U.S.A.

    Louis W. Fry

  2. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20410, U.S.A.

    Melanie P. Cohen

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  1. Louis W. Fry
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  2. Melanie P. Cohen
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Correspondence to Louis W. Fry.

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Fry, L.W., Cohen, M.P. Spiritual Leadership as a Paradigm for Organizational Transformation and Recovery from Extended Work Hours Cultures. J Bus Ethics 84 (Suppl 2), 265–278 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9695-2

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