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Workplace prayer is an increasingly popular means of integrating spirituality into the workplace. Although workplace prayer offers many, substantial potential benefits, the practice is not without its risks. This article describes several of the most common risks and suggests ways of managing them.
National news media reports have recently highlighted the growing practice of prayer in the workplace. Small-business owners and even business executives of large corporations are daily taking time to join with their employees and colleagues in presenting their requests to God. In the healthcare industry, scientific studies have investigated a possible link between prayer and recovery times from surgery and other health benefits affecting the bottom lines of healthcare providers. Some of these studies have demonstrated that patients heal faster and better under the influence of prayer. Apart from such obvious benefits of answered prayer, participants in workplace prayer groups often report greater inter-personal awareness and understanding. Moreover, business leaders participating in workplace prayer often report tangible returns on investment such as increased employee morale and productivity and decreased employee turnover. Clearly, substantial potential benefits appear to be possible as a result of this means of integrating spirituality into the workplace.
However, the practice of prayer in the workplace is not without its pitfalls. This article examines several common pitfalls and suggests ways in which they can be avoided. With proper attention to the management of risks, workplace prayer is one of the best ways of integrating spirituality into the workplace.
In some nations, most citizens practice a state-sponsored religion. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, the Sunni sect of the Muslim faith is the official national religion and certain religious practices inconsistent with the tenets of that sect are forbidden by law. However, in the U.S., no religion is accorded official status. The majority of Americans describe themselves as Christian but religious practices vary even among Christian sects. For instance, Catholics may invoke saints or the Holy Family in prayer whereas many Protestants consider such practices idolatrous. Even greater diversity exists with respect to monotheistic non-Christian faiths such as the Jewish or Muslim faith, not to mention polytheistic, pantheistic, or panentheistic faiths such as Hinduism or Native American spirituality. Therefore, the practice of prayer in a religiously pluralistic workplace...