Source: The Boston Globe

On March 28, 1999, The Boston Globe published an article on the attention that businesses are now paying to spiritual values in the workplace. "Employers are responding, as more and more companies try to create humane, compassionate, and fulfilling work environments by tending to their employees' souls." Several recent conferences and books have addressed the issue of how spirituality can improve work culture. Ellen Hayakawa, president and CEO of the Centre for Spirituality and Sustainability in Vancouver, Canada, stated: "If work is the creative expression of the human spirit, then obviously it makes sense for anyone in business interested in unleashing their creativity to raise issues of spirituality." Despite the growing trend, many workplace managers are skeptical about the relationship of work and spirituality. Krista Kurth, principal consultant for Renewal Resources outside of Washington, D.C., stated that, "people are afraid of having religion imposed on them. Also, there's a sense that this is another way for organizations to control their workers. They already use psychological exams to get at attitude and behavior and now they want to invade people's privacy by trying to control their spiritual lives as well.