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No 166 - 2003
5. Spirituality in the Workplace
by David Westcott OSB
David Westcott is the author of Work Well: Live Well published by Marshall Pickering, London.
FOR the past five years, Fr Dermot Tredget OSB, has been hosting and facilitating a series of workshops, entitled Spirituality in the Workplace. I was one of those attending the first series, and have been an occasional participant in the follow-up weekends that focus on specific topics.
Spirituality in the workplace has become a topic of considerable interest in recent years. The Catholic Bishops Conference published a booklet on it in 2001. (1) If you type the phrase into an Internet search engine, you will get more than 30,000 hits. Look at the Spirituality section of a sizeable bookshop and you will see a variety of offerings whose authors range from those in the mainstream of the Christian tradition to those whose sources are remarkably eclectic. Some people refer to this growing interest as a movement. Those who wish to explore this wider phenomenon are recommended to read Douglas Hicks recent book, Religion and the Workplace. (2) It provides an overview from a North American perspective, yet its findings and insights could be replicated in the UK.
In this article, I will provide a highly personal view of the contribution made by the Douai workshops. My perspective is that of a Christian in the Anglican tradition. For some years, I was the Human Resources Director of a large international organisation, before becoming an executive coach, working with senior people in the public and private sectors. Outside work, I provided pastoral counselling and spiritual direction to a number of people.
The article is in four parts. In the first place, I will suggest some reasons for people attending the sessions, using the well-tried metaphors of journey and search. Second, I will comment on why the Rule and the Order of St Benedict has so much to offer. Third, I will summarise the content and the conduct of the workshops. Finally, I will add a few words of personal reflection on the value I have gained from the workshops.
Before I do this, however, I think it is necessary to say something about Spirituality.
The word is very new in the English language, having entered at the end of the 19th century directly from France. At that time, and until the second half of the 20th century, the word referred predominantly to the interior life, to mystical experience, to prayer, or to some other aspect of personal devotion. The emphasis, however, has changed. Michael Downey, the editor of the New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, defines the word as embracing the whole of Christian life in response to the Spirit. (3) Rowan Williams asserts that Spirituality must now touch every area of human experience. (4) Given this new understanding, many Christians have become more conscious of the need to discover a spirituality of work.
Some reasons for attending the workshops
The search for meaning
For many people, work has no intrinsic meaning. It is seen, principally, if not wholly, as a means to earn money in order to live. Some of this has come about by the way work is structured. From the time of the Industrial Revolution, and the creation of the limited liability company, the chief aims of many organisations have been to increase output, to improve efficiency, and to raise profitability. One of the most effective ways of achieving this, has been the introduction of the division of labour. The result is the existence of countless jobs requiring the worker routinely to carry out the same meaningless task over and over again. In the judgement of Pope John Paul II, men and women have become the object, rather than the subject of work. (5) Nor is this sense of meaninglessness peculiar to those who carry out routine tasks. It is shared by many whose work is complex, whose tasks are challenging, and whose responsibilities are substantial. What does it all mean? is a question I am frequently asked by my clients.
The search for balance
Over the past decade, much has been written about work/life balance. The pace of work has accelerated in all sectors, not least because of the technological revolution and the impact of globalisation. Demands on those at work have increased enormously, as organisations have reduced numbers so as to enhance profits, to remain competitive, and, in the public sector, to provide value for money. The demand for more by shareholders, employers, customers, and users, shows no sign of abating. Successive bouts of equal opportunity legislation, sometimes allied to economic necessity, have led to a massive increase in the number of females in the workforce, and have introduced new pressures on family life. Men and women are experiencing an imbalance between work and non-work activities that is perceived as negative and damaging.
For many, the workplace used to play a very important social role Friendships were nurtured that lasted a lifetime. Rites of passage were honoured by colleagues and the employer. Long service was esteemed. Loyalty was a valued characteristic. Much of this has diminished with the constant change resulting from competitive pressures, acquisitions and mergers, reorganisations and redundancies. A growing number no longer "go to" work, as they work from home. And those who are based in a particular location, often find themselves sharing a work-station, or "hot-desking" with others. While some of the changes are imposed by necessity, and some have positive benefits for the people concerned, the sense of belonging is far less than it was.
The search for integration
"Where is God in all this?" is a question asked by many Christians about their daily work. Few hear sermons, or receive instruction on the topic. God is sometimes perceived as entirely transcendent, or at best, concerned only with the activities of the Church. Somehow, the Christian God, is seen as separate from, or indifferent towards work. Yet that same Christian God is revealed as One whose work embraces the creation and sustaining of the world; whose redemptive activity is celebrated daily through the Eucharist; and whose sanctifying power touches everything. Discovering the connection between religious belief, spiritual experience and the "daily round", is often perplexing.
The contribution of the Rule of St Benedict
There are a number of features characterising the Rule, that makes it very pertinent to the topic of spirituality in the workplace and brings light to the confusion.
The first is that the Rule, when first composed, was addressed to a predominantly lay audience. While this has changed with the passing of the years, the language has a style that resonates with those who are not ordained.
The second, is that, unlike most other ancient texts, it addresses the subject of work. Manual labour, according to Chapter 48, is one of the criteria of authentic monachism. And even though interpreters, from the Cluniac reformers in the 10th century, to Abbot Delatte of Solesmes in more recent times, have endeavoured to play down the emphasis of this chapter, the importance of work in spiritual formation has withstood the attacks of those who would wish it otherwise.
The third is, that work is integrated with all other aspects of the spiritual journey, principally, worship and the lectio divina. This integration develops a rhythm and a balance that is a far cry from the working life of many in contemporary society.
The fourth is, that work has meaning, both because of its purpose, and also because of its nature. Monks work in order to provide for the community and as a means of giving to those in need. In so doing, they are imitators of Christ, who served others through his life and work.
The Workshops
The series of workshops follow a pattern. The titles of each reveal a lot about their content. The introductory one poses the question Making a Life or making a Living? It takes the form of a far ranging exploration of spirituality and work with particular reference to the Rule of St Benedict. The Tools of the Workplace focuses on the personal qualities that are seen as important in contemporary society, comparing these with the requirements of those in a monastic community. The third event, 
Relationships in the Workplace, considers how people relate to each other at work. It uses the emphasis in the Rule on humility, mutual obedience and compassion to inform the debate. Taking responsibility for ourselves and others introduces the all important topic of discernment to the discussions of the policies and practices that characterise the place in which we work. The penultimate workshop, Coping with success and failure, explores the definition of each of these words, and looks at their relationship with stress. The final weekend, Developing a spiritual practice, aims to assist each participant to find an appropriate way of integrating their faith and their work.
The workshops are highly participative, with frequent opportunity for plenary debate and small group discussion. Each includes an introduction to a particular chapter or chapters of the Rule. They are structured around the daily office, such that each person present has the opportunity of experiencing the Benedictine rhythm of worship, personal reflection and work - in this case, the events of the workshop. Over 200 people have attended the workshops. Most of the male and female participants (in approximately equal number) have come from a variety of Christian traditions, but some have no religious affiliation.
Six follow up workshops have been held, covering such topics as Discernment, Prayer, and The Virtuous Organisation.
Some personal reflections
As in the process of writing this article, I have reflected on the workshops, I have been reminded of a number of features that have meant a lot to me.
Wisdom from the past
In a society obsessed with change and innovation, it has been of enormous value to me to recognise that certain things remain pretty constant. The sixth century monks to whom St Benedict first addressed his Rule would not have recognised our world, just as we cannot experience theirs. Yet the features of being human and the challenges of experiencing God in work seem to have altered little.
Sharing with others
One of the greatest gifts bestowed by God to each person on his or her spiritual journey, is the companionship of others. At every workshop, I encountered one or more people whose words or actions have been of inestimable benefit to me.
Time to explore
In the busy world that many of the participants inhabit, the opportunity for reflection and learning was wonderful. It certainly was for me. Moreover, it was a safe place. The leadership of Fr Dermot always made it possible to air views and listen to those of others, in the certain knowledge that we were in an environment of mutual respect.
The welcome and example of the Community
From time to time, I have been "shadowed" at work. A student, a new junior colleague, or, occasionally, a secondee from academia or central government, has spent time with me, observing what I do at work. It has not always been a good experience. I have not always been gracious. How different from the way I was welcomed by the Community each time I visited Douai. And how gracious were the monks as I "invaded" their space.
God in all things
"Nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God," writes St Benedict. (RSB 43:3) And while this statement refers specifically to the daily office, it captures for me the idea that all work is service; that all work is worship; that all work is done with and for God; that all work enables us to attain to the image of God that was manifest in Jesus Christ.
1 Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, A Spirituality of Work, (Catholic Media Trust, London, 2001)2 Douglas A Hicks, Religion and the Workplace, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003)
3 Michael Downey, Understanding Christian Spirituality, (Paulist Press, New York, 1997) p.46
4 Rowan Williams, The Wound of Knowledge, (DLT, London, 2001) p.2
5 John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, (Catholic Truth Society, London, 1981) p.15ff
Fr Wilfrid Sollom 1926 - 2003 - Obituary
Fr Wilfrid Sollom - Personal Tributes
The Abbey of Saints Adrian and Denis, Lamspringe, Germany by Abbot Geoffrey Scott
From The Douai Magazine 100 Years Ago
Douai Abbey Newsletter 19 including Community Notes
Go to index of Douai Newsletter.
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The Douai Magazine is published at Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks, RG7 5TQ. Phone: 0118 971 5300 Fax: 0118 971 5303 E-mail editor@douaiabbey.org,uk
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