Religious differences can be complicated, particularly in the workplace. Add diverse beliefs and there's a recipe for disaster.
This week I opened an interdepartmental e-mail and found a line from scripture quoted as part of the signature line. When religion comes up in the workplace, it is difficult to know how to react. Arguments fly in both directions: inclusion of religion in the workplace can lead to camaraderie and bring a deeper sense of meaning to work. But choosing a deity to worship excludes those with different beliefs.
Both arguments are valid, but they miss a very important point: religion has nothing to do with it.
Stay with me, because I don't mean to offend those with strong beliefs. The problem I had with the scripture-quoting e-mail wasn't that it was a passage from the bible. It was that this quote had nothing to do with the content of the e-mail, the transaction therein, or the purpose of the company that provided said e-mail address. The same level of inappropriateness would apply if a pharmacist closed a message regarding a Allegra-D prescription by saying "Go, Dodgers!" Whether I am a Dodger fan has nothing to do with my need for allergy medicine. I want to know that my pharmacist is competent and concerned about my well-being, not that he dons royal blue and eats Dodger Dogs on the weekend.
Granted, that comparison isn't fair. Unless you're a Giants fan, the words "Go Dodgers!" don't carry the weight of a "Jesus Saves" sig line. Religion is a touchy subject to begin with. People have died for these beliefs, and some of those scars are still a little fresh. Sensitivity and tact are necessary, especially in a corporate setting.
As for those without strong beliefs, tact is still important. If your co-workers wanted to be preached to, they would already go to your church. To impose scripture on others, however sleight-handedly, is irritating, in the way that the girl who speaks non-stop of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is irritating.
Religion belongs in the workplace the way other interests and personal touches belong there--decorating cubicles and conversations around the water cooler, perhaps (with those who demonstrate an interest only, please). Leave company correspondence out of it. It's simply unprofessional.
Wait! Don't leave yet! Grab a cup of coffee and stay for awhile! Check out my other articles, such as How to Train Employees Effectively.
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