By Elizabeth Herman |Posted: April 20, 2018
The root cause of corruption and scams is lack of spirituality, rather than religious zeal. Nobody is corrupt with their own family. Corruption happens because there is no sense of community, no sense of belonging. Spirituality enhances our sense of community among people, so there is a natural tendency to be honest and to take care of each other. Corruption, manipulation, dishonesty, hatred, etc. become impossible in these cases. - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living
Reports of corruption in the workplace now seem to be as commonplace as the weather. From the CEO of a leading Pharmaceutical company hiking up the price of life-saving drugs, to politicians mixing business interests with public service, to sexual harassment, assault and gender inequality, scandal seems to be all-pervasive.
Whatever the apparent reason for violence, corruption and scandal, their existence highlights the necessity to integrate spirituality into the workplace. Depending on the sector and situation, workplace stressors can include, to name a few:
- layoffs
- mergers
- technological advancements
- unethical corporate behavior
- workplace violence
- threats of terrorism
- job insecurity
- burnout
It’s no surprise, then, that research in the US shows that less than 50% of Americans are happy with their jobs. In these turbulent times, it is essential that top executives, middle managers and the labor pool turn to spirituality for security and inner peace.
While news of workplace corruption is disheartening, hope can be found in the addition of spiritual practices to Fortune 500 Company cultures. Here are only a few examples of the many leaders who meditate and have integrated meditation and mindfulness into their corporate cultures:
- Ford Motors’ CEO Bill Ford
- Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington
- Oprah Winfrey
- Tupperware Brands CEO Rick Goings
What’s more, research on American workplaces indicate strong connections between workplace spirituality and organizational commitment. So, take a longer break that includes meditation before lunch! Your boss should thank you for it!
Interest in spiritual practices, especially meditation, makes sense, since studies from the National Center for Biotechnology Information demonstrate a direct correlation between meditation and employee performance. Benefits of meditation in the workplace include:
- enhanced work engagement
- improved work performance
- job satisfaction
- physical benefits such as improved sleep quality and cognitive ability
Most importantly, studies show that meditation practices increase individuals’ capacity for compassion and empathy, which can lead to long-term reduction in choices that lead to corruption.
Scandal and corruption have existed throughout human history. However, with the spiritual tools and knowledge available nowadays, humans have the power to uproot the causes of these problems.
Moreover, you can also learn how to meditate at work with an easy and effortless technique - Sahaj Samadhi Meditation.
By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, and lives in Boone, NC. With a longtime keen interest in Yoga and Ayurveda, she recently completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training with Sri Sri School of Yoga.
