How differing Religions Affect the Workplace
Abstract
Currently, there is massive diversity globally, and organizations may employ workers from different nations and religious backgrounds. According to the first amendment of the U.S. constitution, employers are not to discriminate against any employee based on their religion, gender, race, or nation of origin. Thus, employers are required to hire employees of all religions equally. Nonetheless, there are some exceptions to this rule, for instance, when the business cannot be conducted in a specific faith, or if employers accommodating the different faiths becomes burdensome for the employer. Several issues arise as a result of the diversity in religion. However, with a well-established policy in line with the state and federal law, the business can avoid conflict or any legal issues that arise from religious diversity. Moreover, diversity boosts productivity if the company, since the morale of employees, is boosted. Additionally, inclusive religious companies have a better reputation in society, which can result in increased productivity.
Introduction
Religion is a crucial aspect in most individuals’ lives, and globally, there are more than twelve religions. The religion that a person believes in has a considerable impact on the individual’s determination at work. Religious beliefs impact how an individual appreciates an organization’s culture and values through their myth, ritual, and doctrines of their faith. In any workplace, religion is a sensitive aspect, and the management and employees should be cautious while handling it. Markedly, some individuals in workplaces are ignorant of other religious faiths, while some feel that their beliefs are more superior to what their colleagues believe. This can result in a conflict that affects the productivity of workers. Nonetheless, the management should appreciate the importance of diversity amongst the employees, and the numerous benefits accrued. Religion brings about spiritual diversity, which results in increased productivity, confidence, and trust amongst workers. Management should accept and accommodate different religions in a workplace because failure to do this is unethical; can result in conflict. Additionally, although a religiously diverse workforce can lead to more conflict and legal issues. Managers can use such diversity to build a more inclusive workplace and increase productivity.
Greater Level of Conflict over Employee’s Religious Beliefs
Due to the different religious beliefs and viewpoints, a workplace with a diverse religious workforce experiences a higher number of conflicts. For the management to handle most of these issues, it needs to have a comprehensive understanding of what is required by the law. Additionally, the management should tackle the conflict in a manner that balances the needs of the business and the workers’ desires to practice their distinctive religion.
One key conflict at workplaces which is brought about by religion is in instances when a worker needs to take time off for religious reasons, and the potential reduction in profitability and productivity. Markedly, different religions worship on different days, which the respective employees can demand for days off. For instance, Muslims worship on Fridays while some Christians worship on Sundays, and the two could request for off days in these specific days. Moreover, a company’s schedule could be one that does not allow one to go on off days on Fridays because that is when they are most productive. Similarly, there are some corporations where employees are expected to work on alternate weekends; thus, Christian workers cannot get a chance to worship all Sundays. Similarly, some religious holidays fall on weekdays, and the company can find that giving the workers a holiday for every holy day affects their productivity. Nonetheless, making workers report to work on holy days can lower their morale, resulting in decreased productivity. Therefore, given that different religious groups have different days of worship or festivals, a company giving workers time off for each of these days can affect productivity.
Markedly, any form of discrimination in workplaces, whether based on nationality, religion, sex, color, or race, is prohibited. For the private sector, the issue of religion is governed by federal and state civil rights laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 bans any form of religious conflict in workplaces(Steinberger, 2007).Moreover, employees are required to provide reasonable accommodation to all workers regardless of their religious affiliation, except when this can result in excessive hardship for an organization. Thus, employers are expected to alter work schedules to accommodate the Sabbath or other religious holidays. Moreover, employees can seek legal compensation in instances when employers do not show any form of accommodation for their diverse religious beliefs. Religious discrimination has numerous and costly repercussions to employers, as they can pay up to 300,000 dollars to settle religious discrimination chargers. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in 2014, employers paid approximately 8.7 million dollars to settle for religion-based lawsuits.
Nonetheless, according to Title VII religious cases, there are instances when the law does not require employers to accommodate workers’ religious activities. For instance, if the accommodation will increase financial cost, transfer of employers, or supervisory personnel from other departments, it can lead to inefficient or violates the seniority system. However, balancing between the employee’s religious needs and the business’s needs generally presents a hard time for the management.
Legal issues resulting from differing Religions in the Workplace
According to the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the citizens enjoy two freedoms concerning religion. First, all individuals have a right to practice any religion, and secondly, freedom from any government-imposed religion. Although the constitution does not bind private employers, it is subject to state and federal laws that prohibit religious discrimination in workplaces. Thus, due to the diversity of religions in the workplaces and the freedom Americans have in expressing their views, religion in workplaces is a sensitive issue in most organizations. The courts have prohibited numerous discrimination, including hostile environment, disparate impact, and disparate treatment.
Disparate Treatment Discrimination
Disparate treatment is an apparent discrimination form which involves unequal treatment based on the religion of a worker. Notably, any employee who has a policy of refusing to promote or recruit people from some religions are said to commit this discrimination (Find Law, 2018). Nonetheless, the rule does not apply to employees whose businesses are religious. For instance, a company that is in charge of making sacraments used in the Catholic Church can be allowed to employ people who adhere to their faith only. Nonetheless, the courts need first to look into the legitimacy of the organization’s operations before allowing hem to recruit people from a specific faith only.
Furthermore, there is the Disparate Impact, which happens in the U.S. when the rules practices or policies in housing, employment, or other areas affect a specific group of people. Employers can sue the employee when they have evidence to show that they get treated differently because of their religious faiths (Findlaw, 2018). Some company policies may not mention a specific religion but still function in a discriminative manner against certain religions. For instance, the organization rules could be banning men from wearing any form of hat or clothing in their heads while on the business premises. Markedly, this could contradict some religious requirements for people to have headwear.
Thirdly, it is the hostile work environment discrimination that occurs when the employers allow or maintain a hostile environment for the workers of specific faiths. For instance, some workers may feel that their religion is superior to others, so they end up harassing their colleagues. Notably, this makes the working environment intimidating or hostile for some people. However, the disagreements or harassments need to be severe for them to constitute unlawful harassment.
Simple disagreements on religious principles do not cross the line of lawful conduct. Moreover, if the workers report severe threats or insults to the management and do not take action, they can sue the company for hostile work environment discrimination.
Then, although the management has to accommodate the workers’ religious beliefs, the employers also have some leeway in how the business runs. Some changes can be too burdensome for the employer. In instances when the employee requests to change their shifts if their faiths prevent them from working on Fridays, it is easy and reasonable for the employer to agree. Nonetheless, if an employee requests to have a particular month off each year because of their religious belief, this is unreasonable. Therefore, different circumstances impact the extent to which an employer can accommodate the employee.
Religious Inclusivity
Due to the different needs of the employees of different religious groups, companies have no choice but to build a more religious inclusive workplace. It is the duty of the HR to come up with policies that are accommodative to the diverse spiritualties in workplaces. Additionally, HR should ensure that all the policies which the company makes regarding religious beliefs are in line with the state and federal laws. If the management should promote diversity and practices that are nondiscriminatory while reflecting on the organization’s culture, values, and mission (Shrm, 2017). Furthermore, employees and managers should be educated on the ways they can prevent religious discrimination and harassment. Then, the organization should ensure that
Impact of employees accommodating diverse religion
Employees feeling that the organization respects their religious beliefs boosts their morale and engagement. According to a study conducted by the Salesforce approach, workers who feel that their companies provide equal opportunities for all individuals have a close attachment to the organization. Notably, the workers who are more engaged in their tasks are more efficient, this they deliver more results.
A diverse workplace is crucial for companies that want to attract and retain the best talent. A study by Deloitte shows that most millennials tend to work for a longer period in companies that accept the importance of diversity in workplaces (Picincu, 2020). Moreover, a company that is accommodative for various religions attracts more potential candidates for different job positions, which gives the organizations a chance to choose the best talent. Similarly, there are low turnover rates since the workers appreciate the diversity in their workplaces.
Moreover, there is more employee satisfaction, which increases employee retention hence low cost for the business on turnover. Thus, to attract and retain the best talents, businesses need to provide work environments that recognize employees’ diversity.
Additionally, there are enhanced problem-solving strategies in the organization. Notably, different religions follow diverse ideologies. Thus, when handling issues, employees can effectively analyze the issues and use various perspectives to come up with the best solutions.
The reputation of the company also improves when it accommodates diverse religions. Notably, this can help the company to enlarge its customer base since several people appreciate diversity. Additionally, the company can get discounts from some suppliers, especially those of minority religions that are not appreciated wholly by other religions. This helps the company to increase revenue.
Moreover, when a company has a good reputation, most people like to be part of the company. Therefore, the business can easily widen their production process and hire the best talents. This increases the productivity of the business.
Additionally, all religions advocate for peace and doing what is ethical, regardless of whether it is stated in the company policies. Religious people believe that there are always repercussions for doing wrong and a reward for doing what is right. Thus, the people are productive regardless of whether there is a supervisor or any disciplinary action for any wrongdoing.
Moreover, when the management is accommodative to people of different religions, there is minimal conflict amongst the employees. Religious believes advocate for reconciliatory approaches towards any form of conflict. Thus, people always work towards finding a solution, rather than living in disunity. Markedly, people who are supportive of each other help the company improves its productivity because it boosts a team spirit amongst the employees.
Conclusion
Notably, the state and federal law require that workers not be treated unfairly due to their religion. Notably, although religiously diverse workplace cam results in various legal issues and conflicts in the company, management should understand that diversity is advantageous as it increases workers’ productivity. The legal issues may arise because, according to the constitution, organizations should not discriminate against people because of their religion. Rather, companies should be accommodative of all religions in their workplaces. Nonetheless, being accommodative can result in conflict amongst the workers. However, diversity is more advantageous to the business because it boosts the company’s reputation, helps in boosting employee morale, retaining the best talent, and generally increase productivity. To avoid getting into legal suits or conflicts in workstations because of employee diversity. Companies should ensure that their policies are well inclusive of the religious diversity clause. Additionally, all workers should sign in their religion when getting recruited. It is the management’s responsibility to know and respect the diversity in religious beliefs in workplaces without fairing any specific ideology over another. However, the company should also know when religious inclusion can become exclusionary. Thus, management should always treat different religions with respect and inclusion because this increases the productivity of the business.