Miami, USA - First companies were encouraged to be family-friendly; today they are lauded for being gay-friendly. Now there are some advocating to break down that final office taboo: religion.
Encouraging faith-friendly companies is a natural step, some say, in a time when workers are feeling more comfortable about bringing their entire selves into the office. And it follows naturally from a general resurgence of interest in religion.
''People want to be treated holistically,'' said David Miller, director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and an assistant professor of business ethics who is speaking at Florida International University tonight about his book, God at Work . ``We talk about diversity and inclusion -- how can we look employees in the eye and say we're only interested in color of your skin or gender diversity?''
But the idea of workers bringing God into their 9-to-5 life is still somewhat taboo. And employment lawyers, who have noticed a rise of religious workplace litigation, caution that companies need to strike a careful balance between upholding civil rights and maintaining a comfortable work atmosphere for all.
Employment lawyers, workers and even religious clergy say there's no question that people wanting to incorporate their faith into their daily work lives is on the rise. Miller, a former international banker who is now an ordained minister, considers it a social movement.
Often people are just looking for support from others, said Miller. He advocates companies become faith-friendly -- not taking a position supporting any particular faith, but supporting all traditions.
''It's not always piety of people trying to look like they're holy,'' said Miller, who said people often group together for occasional breakfasts, lunches or coffee. The groups are so informal that they're often not supported by religious organizations, a sign, he said, that many churches or temples are missing the boat by not providing support for business people.
'A lot of times people are wrestling with issues like, `My boss told me I had to reduce costs 10 percent, and I have to lay off people.' They are praying for wisdom,'' he said.
LUNCH AND LEARN
Miami lawyer Brian Hersh practiced for 35 years before he realized that he needed more in his life. Five years ago, he got involved in a weekly Jewish ''lunch and learn'' group sponsored by The Shul of Downtown.
''I wanted to learn more about my religion,'' said Hersch, who said he has become a more observant Jew and gained a deeper appreciation of ethics and the law.
Rabbi Chaim Lipskar, who leads the group, said he's found that the downtown Miami and Brickell area workers who attend his events are a diverse group: some observant, some who are ``not involved in anything Jewish''.
But they have one thing in common, said Lipskar, who recently ran a six-week, continuing legal education course that compared Jewish law to American law. More than 150 attorneys attended.
''They're trying to change their workplace into a holy space, into a positive space where ethical values are very important,'' he said.
Adds Talmudic University of Florida's Rabbi Aron Blatt, who runs a separate group that meets in Hollywood every week: ``The truth is, work is not always inspiring. It can be downright uninspiring.''
TABOO TOPIC
Still, others say they feel the topic is still too taboo to bring up with co-workers or bosses.
Local American Civil Liberties Union spokesman Brandon Hensler also cautions that there's a line that can be crossed, especially if businesses try to get their employees involved in a specific faith.
''Religion is an important part of many people's lives,'' he said, adding: ``If there's a way to incorporate that into the workplace, if it doesn't violate the Constitution, then I think that can be a good thing. You can't make a requirement.''
Corporations are just beginning to realize ''this is for real,'' says John Nardone, a FIU graduate who is trying to start a ''Faith at Work'' alumni chapter for the university. The group is hosting Miller's talk.
Nardone, a Christian, coaches several local executives about their faith. He believes many executives and corporate boards are ''fairly fearful'' of implementing a plan to become faith-friendly, worried that they might be seen as preferring one religion over another.
Legal cases involving workers claiming religious discrimination on the job have been on the rise, especially since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, says Miami-based employment lawyer Robert Kofman, who says many of those cases involved Muslim workers.
The most common cases since then involve working during the Sabbath, said Kofman, who is with the law firm Stearns Weaver Miller.
FOLLOWING THE LAW
Florida businesses are subject to the federal civil rights act and the state human rights act, which means that employers have to make reasonable accommodations for workers with sincere religious beliefs.
For example, employees who want to use a room after hours for a Bible study have to be treated the same way as any other group of workers that asks to use office space, he said. An employee with an e-mail signature that says ''Have a Blessed Day'' probably isn't going to have others object, he added -- but if they do, or if someone outside the company complains, businesses have to be prepared to address the issue.
These laws don't just cover well-known faiths such as Judaism, Christianity or Islam, but also Santeria, Wicca, the Church of Body Modification -- even atheism, said Kofman.
The key is to be uniform and fair, he said.
For employers who are still dubious, there is another way: encouraging spirituality, not any specific religion, says business professor Joan Marques, co-author of Spirituality in the Workplace. That boils down to basically following the Golden Rule, treating others with respect and how you would want to be treated.
Imagine a work environment that is no longer about ''me first'' and where office politics are rejected, and people are kind, proactive and courageous, she said, and your office can turn into a ``model environment''.