Religion and Ethics Ethics, Diversity,

Religion and Ethics Ethics, Diversity, and Religion in the Workplace The importance of creating a diverse workplace and embracing the value of tolerance is mandated by the laws of the land, and is also encompassed within many company mission statements. Ideally, having a diverse workforce enables an organization to be more competitive nationally and internationally. Employees from a wide variety of backgrounds can provide the company with invaluable information about the views and demands of people all over the world and in various American demographic groups.

Also, whether a company wishes to change or not, change is inevitable in a pluralistic society built upon the contributions of immigrants like American. But religious diversity can pose special challenges for a company's policy of inclusiveness. Religion is a system of ethics and a worldview, not simply a personal lifestyle choice. Religious values are individualistic in the sense that people often interpret even the same religion in different ways, but they also connect people to larger community, within and outside of the workforce. This can pose conflicts.

Also, some religions may require observers to engage in practices that occasionally conflict with company policy, spanning everything from observing a weekly Sabbath or particular holidays, to wearing a particular type of clothing. According to the Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) employers must make reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices for their employees.

In other words, it would be reasonable for an observant Orthodox Jew to ask to leave early to observe the Sabbath if he makes up the work by staying late on another day, but it would not be reasonable for a business that draws most of its revenue from Friday night and Saturday trade (like a restaurant) to employ someone who could not work on those days due to religious observances. However, there are many grey areas (like employees demanding uniform accommodations to suit the demands of their religion).

The extent to which religion should or can permeate the workplace remains a contentious ethical and legal issue. Also, as the U.S.

is growing more pluralistic, in an attempt to create a cohesive organizational culture and ethical foundation in a diverse and pluralistic society many organizations, including some in the FORTUNE 500, are now creating employee prayer groups and other spiritual groups to strengthen personal and organizational affiliations Companies "like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Ford, Intel, Texas Instruments, and Sears," are creating prayer groups, and the "fast-food chain Chick Filet closes on Sunday so workers can worship" (Abernathy 2005).

Not surprisingly, perhaps, even while some management theorists praise how this increases workplace commitment and productivity, the EEOC has seen a 30% increase in religious discrimination complaints of various kinds since the year 2000 (Abernathy 2005). "Even in an era that's more accepting of spirituality, the prospect of religion seeping into secular institutions, especially corporate ones, makes many uneasy" (Conlin 1999). To tread a delicate balance between showing respect for religious differences and still allowing and encouraging spiritual and ethical concerns to be discussed in the workplace can be difficult.

To do so "most companies and executives are careful to stick to a cross-denominational, hybrid message that's often referred to as secular spirituality. It focuses on the pluralistic, moral messages common to all the great religions, such as...respecting the interconnectedness of all actions and things, and practicing the Golden Rule. But it also puts a premium on free expression and eschews cramming beliefs down other people's throats" (Conlin 1999).

Still, there is no way that 'all of the people can be pleased, all of the time,' to co-opt a phrase from P.T. Barnum. Every time a particular religious value is espoused, someone will feel left out, even or especially people who do not frame their personal ethical systems in terms of religion at all, or people whose spiritual orientation is more orthodox than the fuzzy, feel-good message of the corporate version of the Golden Rule.

Finally, the issue of tolerance has become especially thorny in regards to Muslims, in the wake of the 9/11.