RNS article: May 17, 2021 By Adelle M. Banks

(RNS) — Representatives of atheist and secular groups held their first meeting with White House officials last week, marking a willingness by the Biden administration to work with the growing networks of religiously unaffiliated Americans.

The Secular Coalition for America set up the Friday (May 14) meeting with Melissa Rogers, executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Read full story here.

by Kent Johnson, J.D., Senior Corporate Advisor, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

Part of the blog series, Authenticity & Connection

Why would people of faith engage with atheists, non-theists, humanists and freethinkers in discussion about one another’s’ beliefs? Many would presume they’d do it for a single purpose: to CONVERT them to their way of thinking. But it’s important to see that many other motives come into play.

Perhaps you feel uncomfortable when people talk about their faith; or when they talk about their disbelief. Perhaps it feels like they’re essentially saying, “You’re a bad person unless you change to believe exactly what I believe”? If so, we’d respectfully ask you to “suspend disbelief” on this particular topic for a few moments, as you read this.

I’d submit that we cannot begin to know the motives of coworkers if our company culture discourages openness about one’s core beliefs and values.

By way of example, suppose coworkers in a quality and reliability team hold a wide range of beliefs. One displays religious symbols on her desk. Another wears a hijab. Another has made clear that he “doesn’t buy that religious stuff.” But their corporate culture makes it uncomfortable to speak of religion or belief. These coworkers are often faced with issues that have ethical ramifications: Should they notify customers of a change in their internal quality processes? Is a potential issue big enough to bother customers with? There are often legitimate views on either side. The coworkers’ core beliefs and values come into play, day by day. Now suppose the “religious” person cites a bible proverb about the importance of earning trust, to support disclosure, and the non-theist feels disclosure isn’t needed. Does the non-theist interpret this as offensive proselytizing? Is the “believer” implying that the non-theist doesn’t value trustworthiness? Does the corporate culture constraining such discussions inadvertently contribute to these kinds of suspicions?

One can never know for certain all the motives behind a coworkers’ words or actions. But openness works better. This is corroborated by the experience of a growing number of companies that have embraced freedom of expression of religion and belief. At companies like Intel and Texas Instruments (tied for #1 in the 2021 Religious Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Index), non-theists and people of a very wide spectrum of religious beliefs are encouraged to talk about their core beliefs and values; and in so doing they’re getting to know one another better, they’re overcoming distrust and fear, and they’re forging warmer, more trusting relationships. Non-theists are welcomed and valued; as are people of faith. Their diverse perspectives are enriching corporate culture and improving the quality of business decisions.

Two videos from the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation’s 2021 Faith@Work ERG Conference provide particularly poignant illustrations on this topic: Our interview with Debbie Allen, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America and a panel discussion among diverse people at Intel. We can cite many other examples.

My point is: Authenticity and Connection WORKS.

At our second annual national Faith@Work Employee Resource Group Conference in Feb. 2021, the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation’s Kent Johnson hosted a fascinating conversation with Debbie Allen, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America. They explored how and why interfaith diversity includes religious people as well as non-theists and humanists.

This is especially relevant as societies around the world continue to grapple with and emerge from the pandemic. Religion sometimes gets a bad rap in the 24/7 news cycle. And if we’re not careful, some media narratives might blind us to religion’s enduring social strength. The oftentimes unseen economic and social impacts of American faith needed to be recognized and celebrated.

You can read a new summary of that study in this month’s Deseret Magazine and see a short video summary below.

by Kent Johnson, J.D., Senior Corporate Advisor, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

Part of the blog series, Authenticity & Connection

It’s the focus of much discussion today in the human resource profession: How can companies encourage employees to care more about their work, and to engage their work energetically, with a whole heart? It’s clear: When employees’ hearts and minds are connected with their work, they get “fired up,” and powerfully positive business results follow.

People long to connect their core personal mission to their work; and they want confirmation that they’re appreciated for who they are. Problem is, even today, many companies pour cold water on the spirit of their diverse people… especially on those for whom faith and belief forms the core of their identity.

Three of the twelve determinative factors surveyed by Gallup in its highly-regarded “Q12 Employee Engagement Survey are:

1. 1. Whether “My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.”
2. 2. Whether “the mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.”
3. 3. Whether “I have a best friend at work.”

Think about this:

1. I. Is it possible to truly care about your employee as a person, and NOT open the door to discussion about his/her core beliefs and principles?

• • — If your organization’s hesitancy to encourage discussion about core beliefs and principles flows from a concern that such discussions will waste time, or cause conflict, consider the message that those concerns carry to people of faith: It essentially says that their faith is unimportant. Unwelcome. Even harmful to the company.
  • — Why not ask on a scale of 1 to 5, whether “My supervisor, or someone at work, has expressed interest in my core values and beliefs.”

2. II. For people whose faith defines their personal mission and purpose in life, does it make sense to perpetuate a culture that frowns on voluntary and sensitive discussions of faith?

• • — Why de-couple faith from work, when faith is the motivator for excellent service, innovation, compassion, honesty, sensitivity to customer needs, environmental protection, fairness to all, and similar principles?
  • — If the concern is that some faith-based principles may run contrary to those of your company, can you resolve that discord by forcing faith expression underground? Isn’t it better to seek to bring such themes to the surface, where they can be addressed directly?
  • — Why not ask, on a scale of 1 to 5, whether “I feel free to discuss at work how my own personal mission or purpose in life relates to the company’s mission.”

3. III. How can a culture facilitate deep friendships, if it stifles employee-to-employee connections about spiritual topics?

Internal employee engagement surveys like this one from Gallup serve multiple purposes.

First, they provide a window into the company culture, and how management’s diversity and inclusion efforts are perceived. This information can inform management’s future actions to establish and nurture cultural norms that foster engagement and creativity.

Such surveys also send an internal message about what their leaders think about the importance of their employees. By asking about things that are of paramount importance to many of your people, you demonstrate that you care about them. If your internal surveys are silent about employees’ faith and belief, you’re also sending a message… that you aren’t interested in that important facet of their work lives.

Employee engagement surveys are certainly no panacea. But they can provide a helpful starting point. Beyond that, as you begin to witness the benefits of freedom of religion and belief at work:

1. 1. Consider joining the growing number of outstanding companies that have officially approved faith-oriented employee resource groups as an integral part of their diversity, equity and inclusion focus. (See the REDI INDEX for examples).
2. 2. Consider setting aside space for your people to pray, meditate and reflect at work.
3. 3. Consider providing opportunities for cross-faith exchanges at work, including discussions among people of diverse faiths about how their beliefs relate to and motivate their work.
4. 4. Consider training to equip managers to constructively engage the religious diversity of your people. (See RFBF Training).
5. 5. Consider “going public” with your company’s commitment to religious diversity and religious freedom; and supporting religious freedom throughout the world as part of your company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. What you’re willing to say externally speaks more credibly to your own employees. And it speaks healing and reconciliation to a world racked with cynicism.

Freedom of religion and belief is a rewarding topic for any business that seeks deeper employee engagement. It unleashes energy and engagement. This is worth exploring.

by Kent Johnson, J.D., Senior Corporate Advisor, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

Part of the blog series, Authenticity & Connection

It’s the focus of much discussion today in the human resource profession: How can companies encourage employees to care more about their work, and to engage their work energetically, with a whole heart? It’s clear: When employees’ hearts and minds are connected with their work, they get “fired up,” and powerfully positive business results follow.

People long to connect their core personal mission to their work; and they want confirmation that they’re appreciated for who they are. Problem is, even today, many companies pour cold water on the spirit of their diverse people… especially on those for whom faith and belief forms the core of their identity.

Three of the twelve determinative factors surveyed by Gallup in its highly-regarded “Q12 Employee Engagement Survey are:

1. 1. Whether “My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.”
2. 2. Whether “the mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.”
3. 3. Whether “I have a best friend at work.”

Think about this:

1. I. Is it possible to truly care about your employee as a person, and NOT open the door to discussion about his/her core beliefs and principles?

• • — If your organization’s hesitancy to encourage discussion about core beliefs and principles flows from a concern that such discussions will waste time, or cause conflict, consider the message that those concerns carry to people of faith: It essentially says that their faith is unimportant. Unwelcome. Even harmful to the company.
  • — Why not ask on a scale of 1 to 5, whether “My supervisor, or someone at work, has expressed interest in my core values and beliefs.”

2. II. For people whose faith defines their personal mission and purpose in life, does it make sense to perpetuate a culture that frowns on voluntary and sensitive discussions of faith?

• • — Why de-couple faith from work, when faith is the motivator for excellent service, innovation, compassion, honesty, sensitivity to customer needs, environmental protection, fairness to all, and similar principles?
  • — If the concern is that some faith-based principles may run contrary to those of your company, can you resolve that discord by forcing faith expression underground? Isn’t it better to seek to bring such themes to the surface, where they can be addressed directly?
  • — Why not ask, on a scale of 1 to 5, whether “I feel free to discuss at work how my own personal mission or purpose in life relates to the company’s mission.”

3. III. How can a culture facilitate deep friendships, if it stifles employee-to-employee connections about spiritual topics?

Internal employee engagement surveys like this one from Gallup serve multiple purposes.

First, they provide a window into the company culture, and how management’s diversity and inclusion efforts are perceived. This information can inform management’s future actions to establish and nurture cultural norms that foster engagement and creativity.

Such surveys also send an internal message about what their leaders think about the importance of their employees. By asking about things that are of paramount importance to many of your people, you demonstrate that you care about them. If your internal surveys are silent about employees’ faith and belief, you’re also sending a message… that you aren’t interested in that important facet of their work lives.

Employee engagement surveys are certainly no panacea. But they can provide a helpful starting point. Beyond that, as you begin to witness the benefits of freedom of religion and belief at work:

1. 1. Consider joining the growing number of outstanding companies that have officially approved faith-oriented employee resource groups as an integral part of their diversity, equity and inclusion focus. (See the REDI INDEX for examples).
2. 2. Consider setting aside space for your people to pray, meditate and reflect at work.
3. 3. Consider providing opportunities for cross-faith exchanges at work, including discussions among people of diverse faiths about how their beliefs relate to and motivate their work.
4. 4. Consider training to equip managers to constructively engage the religious diversity of your people. (See RFBF Training).
5. 5. Consider “going public” with your company’s commitment to religious diversity and religious freedom; and supporting religious freedom throughout the world as part of your company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. What you’re willing to say externally speaks more credibly to your own employees. And it speaks healing and reconciliation to a world racked with cynicism.

Freedom of religion and belief is a rewarding topic for any business that seeks deeper employee engagement. It unleashes energy and engagement. This is worth exploring.

By Brian J. Grim & Paul Lambert (2021) Religious Literacy in Business, Religion & Education, 48:1, 57-73, DOI: 10.1080/15507394.2021.1877521

This article shows why religious literacy is important for the global economy and the businesses within it. Religion impacts the workplace and the marketplace, coworkers and partners as well as customers and clients. Religious populations are dramatically outgrowing nonreligious populations worldwide, especially so in emerging markets where Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Pentecostal Christian populations are growing. At the same time there is a global countervailing trend of rising restrictions on freedom of religion and belief.

At a macro level, such restrictions threaten the health and growth potential of the global economy. At a micro level, companies tone deaf to religion will be less successful in an increasingly religious world and marketplace than companies that are faith aware. Companies that are in touch with religious dynamics are usually those that have become faith friendly workplaces, embracing religion and belief as part of their overall equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives.

There are specific practices that companies can take to advance religious literacy in the workplace that will align with the trends in the marketplace and empower employees to contribute their fullest to their employers. Religious literacy for business is not primarily about having knowledge of religious beliefs and practices, although that can be helpful. It is more about having an understanding of how religion impacts the workplace and the marketplace, coworkers and partners as well as customers and clients. This is true at both macro and micro levels. At macro levels, national and global economies thrive where religious freedom exists.

At a micro business level, companies that practice religious accommodation and recognize religious diversity see better results in the key indicators that impact the bottom line. In this article, we will demonstrate why religious literacy leads to better business environments at the macro and micro level by looking at religion’s role in business, current status of religious literacy and protections in the global economy and within businesses, implications of religious literacy and persecution levels, and how specific businesses are addressing religion today.

Access the full article here.

For decades, people have been calling for businesses to be more ethical. All of a sudden, it seems, there’s a mad rush by companies to be ethical: but with “ethical” defined as paying homage to whatever the politically correct idea of the moment is—and with zero tolerance, sometimes even outright hostility, for any other view, particularly a religious one. This is called “woke” capitalism.

From Monday, October 12 through Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the Busch School and the Napa Institute convened business, ecclesiastical, and academic leaders in New York and virtually to explore the phenomenon of woke capitalism and its implications for ethical management, particularly for people of faith. We sought to answer two important sets of questions about it. The first set of questions were around what is woke capitalism exactly: where did it come from, is it really a problem, and if so, how serious is it? The second set of questions were around what we—as managers, investors, scholars, citizens—should do about it.

Below is a summary of Brian Grim’s talk given at the conference.

IT CAN SEEM THAT LARGE CORPORATIONS are some of the worst offenders when it comes to woke capitalism. Brian Grim is the President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, and he has a more positive opinion. He talked about how many large corporations are becoming more faith-friendly, with companies like Google, Intel, and American Express having company-sponsored faith-based groups. 

Grim began by pointing out that corporate interest in “diversity” often does not extend to diverse religions. His particular interest is faith-oriented Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which help people align home, work, and worship. He explained that such groups are good for employers because restrictions on religious expression at work hurt productivity. 

He listed six principles: 

• 1. The modern corporate world is a mosaic, not a melting pot—there should be respect for all religions. 
• 2. ERGs are a support for employers, for example in recruiting and mentoring. 
• 3. ERGs promote inter-religious cooperation for example through cosponsored activities by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim groups at American Airlines. 
• 4. ERGs make sense for both minority and majority faiths. 
• 5. Managers should accept that faith is a workplace issue.
• 6. Company chaplaincy programs are good as they can boost morale. 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL CONFERENCE SUMMARY HERE.

Economic freedom is frequently taken as a given in the United States and most of the developed world.

But, what if economic freedom is a luxury that arises only in the presence of something even more fundamental: religious liberty?

In a new working paper, and summarized in a recent op-ed, Christos A. Makridis shows that religious liberty is a prerequisite to economic freedom.

Using a sample of over 140 countries between 1996 and 2018, he shows that improvements in religious liberty pre-date improvements in economic freedom, but not the other way around, even after controlling for macroeconomic indicators, such as employment and gross domestic product growth. The logic is simple: since religious freedom fundamentally involves granting individuals the autonomy to think and worship in whatever form they wish, it is arguably the most basic of all freedoms. Property rights are of little use if those who retain them do not have the freedom to think what they wish and practice what they believe.

Christos also documents several new facts about religious liberty across countries and over time. Most importantly, it has declined substantially between 2010 and 2020, dropping by 29.6% in the United States, 16.2% in the United Kingdom, and 36.7% in France just to name a few prime examples. In general, religious liberty has declined more in countries that traditionally rank high in their economic freedom, especially property rights.

These new results highlight the importance of preserving religious liberty, especially now, across all layers of society. Once the freedom to think and worship freely slips, all other freedoms will shortly vanish.

See Christos’ other research on his website or connect with him on LinkedIn.

By Brian Grim, RFBF President

The Wall Street Journal is not the place one might expect to find an essay titled What We’ve Lost in Rejecting the Sabbath, but that is what’s featured in today’s weekend edition. It’s even highlighted on the front page of the print edition. In the essay, Sohrab Ahmari looks back in U.S. history to a time when setting aside one day a week for rest and prayer was not only an American tradition, but one backed up with the force of law.

Across the U.S., Blue Laws used to mandate that businesses close on Sunday, the Sabbath in most Christian traditions. Even today in Europe, some countries continue to limit or prohibit shops from opening in Sundays.

Ahmari argues that in an age of constant activity and smart devices blurring the space between home and work, we need it more than ever. Drawing on the thinking of the famouus rabbi and theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907–1972), Ahmari proposes that the Sabbath was a revolution, and in fact could be revolutionary today if more widely practiced.

It is difficult to imagine just how revolutionary the Sabbath vision must have appeared in the ancient world, where vast multitudes of people were slaves. Into such a world, there appeared a religion that told slaves they had an identity separate from their labor, that their nonwork was sacred. Judaism taught men and women to find inner liberty by freeing themselves from “domination of things as well as from domination of people,” as Heschel observed.

In practice, companies that close for the Sabbath in America today are doing quite well. For example, Chick-fil-A closes all its restaurants on Sundays, which seems to only increase demand. It regularly has the highest volume in sales (average unit volume) per location.

King Husein, CEO of Span Construction (the largest steel metal construction company in the U.S. and builder of Costco stores) also has a policy of no work for all in his company on the Sabbath. He believes that it’s core to what has made his company successful. See short discussion below, or full discussion here.

Of course, Sabbaths are different for different  faiths, which not only makes policy around this topic difficult, but also presents difficulties for those whose Sabbath is not on Sunday, which includes Jews, Muslims and Seventh Day Adventists, to name a few. And, for those with a deeply held belief to maintain Sabbath observance, recent law has not always sided with the employee seeking an accommodation.

For example, as summarized by Beckett, “Darrell Patterson, a Seventh-day Adventist and longtime dedicated Walgreens employee, had a long-standing agreement with his supervisor at Walgreens—because he could not work on Saturday, the Adventist Sabbath, others would cover any shifts that occurred during that time.

“But when Walgreens executives scheduled an emergency weekend training after violating Alabama pharmacy law, Patterson paid the price for their error. Patterson was suddenly fired after he was unable to report to work on a Saturday. Forced to choose between his faith and providing for his family, Mr. Patterson sued Walgreens for religious discrimination, but both the district and appeals courts sided with the company.

“In 2018, Mr. Patterson appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Becket asked the Court to protect Mr. Patterson and the right of Americans of all faiths to live and work according to one’s religious beliefs, which includes a longstanding practice central to many faiths: observance of the Sabbath.

“The Supreme Court denied review in Patterson v. Walgreens on February 24, 2020.”

Patterson v. Walgreens from Religious Freedom & Business Fnd on Vimeo.

However, more and more companies are adopting an accommodation mindset when it comes to such issues. Google, for example, has recently launched a global employee resource group for Googlers of faith and their allies. One if its priorities is to help the company recognize and adjust scheduling so that religious employees’ holy days are respected and accommodated. See more here.