Managing Human Resources Discussion Replies: Introducing HR and Christian Worldview

Kevin B

Discussion Thread: Introducing HR and Christian Worldview

        In Timothy Keller's book "Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work," he presents a comprehensive perspective on the role of work in God's world. As outlined in Chapters 1–4, Keller's big-picture thinking revolves around four key concepts: Design, Dignity, Cultivation, and Service (Keller, 2012). According to Keller (2012), God designed humans to work, and through work, humans find dignity. Additionally, God continues to create through the work of humans, and individuals express love for God and neighbor through their work (King James Bible, 1831/2020, Ephesians 2:10). Keller's emphasis on the divine purpose behind work aligns with a broader theological understanding of vocation and the integration of faith and work. As he delves into the theological foundations of work, he emphasizes the intrinsic value of work in the context of God's larger plan for humanity (Keller, 2012).

Hardy's Exploration of Human Work

        As we consider Hardy's introductory thoughts in "The Fabric of this World: Inquiries into Calling, Career Choice, and the Design of Human Work," there is a resonance with Keller's perspective (Hardy, 1990). Hardy (1990) explores the inquiries into calling and career choice, which are integral aspects of human work. As discussed by Hardy, the design of human work aligns with Keller's concept of God designing humans to work. Both authors acknowledge the significance of work in shaping human identity and purpose.

Implications for Human Resources (HR)

        Considering Keller's overarching perspective on work and Hardy's initial reflections, discernible implications emerge for the strategic role of human resources (HR) in any business. These insights are drawn from Valentine et al.'s "Human Resource Management," providing a practical lens to understand the intersection of theological principles and organizational practices (Valentine et al., 2020).

Human Dignity and HR Strategy

        In the context of human dignity, Keller's assertion that work bestows dignity upon individuals necessitates a strategic focus on human resources (HR) in shaping the work environment (Keller, 2012). As a strategic function, HR should prioritize the creation of a workplace culture that actively upholds the dignity of every individual and fosters a climate characterized by respect, fairness, and equal opportunities within the organizational framework (Valentine et al., 2020). In a recent study conducted over ten years, researchers found that in the health field alone, the response from HR towards understanding and upholding workers' dignity was a significant reason whether or not the field would become more difficult to retain employees moving into the next decade (Liu et al., 2022)

Purpose-Driven Workplace and Strategic Alignment

        A second implication centers on cultivating a purpose-driven workplace, which resonated with both Keller and Hardy. HR emerges as a pivotal player in aligning organizational goals with the individual aspirations of employees (Hardy, 1990). This strategic alignment requires HR to create avenues for employees to find meaning and fulfillment in their work, contributing to personal growth and the broader narrative of God's creation (Keller, 2012). In a paper focused on purpose-driven jobs and their relation to HR, researchers discovered human resource departments played a significant role in not only retaining great employees but also developing them into roles that benefit both the employee and the organization long-term (Qin et al., 2022)

Service-Oriented Leadership by HR

        Furthermore, Keller's (2012) emphasis on expressing love for God and neighbor through work introduces a service-oriented dimension, which has pertinent implications for HR leadership. Positioned as leaders within the organization, HR professionals can facilitate a service-oriented approach by promoting a culture marked by collaboration, empathy, and a genuine concern for the well-being of employees and the broader community. In this analytical context, HR's role extends beyond conventional administrative functions, assuming a transformative leadership stance that integrates theological principles into the fabric of organizational culture.

Conclusion

        Hardy's exploration yields a nuanced understanding of the theological dimensions of human work. This analysis underscores the strategic role of human resources (HR) in shaping organizational dynamics. The alignment between Keller's emphasis on work as a source of dignity and Hardy's inquiry into calling highlights HR's responsibility to foster an inclusive and equitable workplace. Furthermore, the shared notion of work as cultivation and purpose underscores the strategic imperative for HR to align organizational objectives with individual aspirations, creating a purpose-driven environment. Keller's call for expressing love through work adds a service-oriented dimension, positioning HR as a critical leader in fostering a culture of collaboration, empathy, and commitment to well-being (Keller, 2012). Analytically, this synthesis provides a robust foundation for HR to champion a workplace culture that transcends productivity, emphasizing human dignity, purpose, and service as integral components of strategic organizational management.

References

Hardy, L. (1990).  The fabric of this world: Inquiries into calling, career choice, and the design of human work. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Keller, T., & Alsdorf, K. L. (2012).  Every good endeavor: Connecting your work to God's work. Dutton.

King James Bible. (2020). Royal Family Publication Society. (Original work published 1831).

Liu, Y., Li, X., Ma, L., & Wang, Y. (2022). Mapping theme trends and knowledge structures of dignity in nursing: A quantitative and co‐word biclustering analysis.  Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(7), 1980-1989.

Qin, Y. S., DiStaso, M. W., Fitzsimmons, A., Heffron, E., & Men, L. R. (2022). How purpose-driven organizations influenced corporate actions and employee trust during the global COVID-19 pandemic.  International Journal of Strategic Communication, 16(3), 426-443.

Valentine, S. R., Meglich, P. A., Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2020).  Human Resource Management. Cengage Learning.

Teresa R 

What is your response to Keller’s big-picture thinking? How does this resonate with Hardy’s introductory thoughts?

God provides a design for work with humankind to fulfill His purpose. The book Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work by Tim Keller

supplies a theological view of work and how it applies in the workplace. The view of work materialized with the world's creation in the biblical book of Genesis. The

book integrates faithful work from the perspective of a Christian worldview. Individuals are integral to something more significant by working to develop themselves

and the organization. Keller explains the Christian worldview allows for people to flourish (2014). Keller’s big-picture thinking aspect includes God’s design for work,

dignity, cultivation, and service. First, God created work and designed humans to work (Keller, 2014). Work is a part of life, and individuals should remember that

their work should glorify God. Christians should be faithful in their work, not for themselves but for others.

The second aspect is the dignity of work. The idea of universal human dignity is based on the Christian view that "if all human beings are creatures of God and

created in his image, they deserve to be treated with respect" (Pirson, 2020). Others should understand and recognize that all humans are inherently valuable and

require respect. Literature asserts that “all work has dignity because it reflects God’s image” (Keller, 2014). Individuals should respect one another but also work with

dignity.

According to Keller (2014), cultivation is the creation of culture. God is the creator, and He gives humans the resources to create. There is no room for looking

down on anyone in their role as a worker. In cultivating work, God gave man a role in creating a civilization to be “fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it” (Keller, 2014).

God provides each person with gifts in the form of skills and abilities to play a role in creativity, cultivation, and tending to the needs of the physical universe. Keller

describes work as God's perfect design, that work must be a part of paradise, and that all work can still give everyone the ability to contribute good things in the world.

            In work as service, we all work because of the love of God and thy neighbor. Keller states that work "was part of God's perfect design for human life because

we were made in God's image, and part of his glory and happiness is that he works, as does the Son of God" (2014). God calls us to serve Him and others. I never

thought of work as being in God’s plan until something happened in my life that changed my outlook. I felt a tug in my heart that I needed to change career paths, so

I trusted God and took a leap of faith. Once I read Keller, I understood that work is indeed a plan for everyone.

            Hardy (1990) resonates with Keller's big-picture thinking by viewing individuals' work in God’s image. Hardy also claims, “work makes us into God’s

representatives on earth, his stewards, entrusted with the task of developing the rich resources of the earth for the benefit of the human community” (1990). Hardy

describes cultivation and work as a service. Hardy also says, “through the work we are called to do God himself carries on his creative activity in this world” (1990).

Hardy resonates with the view that Keller discusses the work as a service.    

What are 3 related implications for the role of human resources (HR) as a strategic function in any business?

            Human resources play a vital role in overseeing the task of having the right people in place to meet the organization’s goals. Staffing, recruitment, training,

and performance are three human resource strategies (Mahmoud, 2019). Strategic plans are those looking towards the future. According to the literature, human

resources includes staffing and recruitment strategies to “identify talent needed for the future” (Valentine et al., 2019). By focusing on the future, organizations can

plan for possible external and internal factors that could jeopardize their bottom line by having too few or too many employees. For this reason,  human resource

planning can perform an analysis that will "find and keep the right employees and stand successful in this aggressive market, as they have a possibility to compete for

the talent” (Chakraborty and Biswas, 2019). However, training is necessary to develop employees' skills and gauge employee performance. Valentine et al. (2019)

assert that one human resource strategy is to build succession plans. Finally, tracking performance can indicate areas where individuals need to grow their skills and

strengths

References

Chakraborty, D., & Biswas, W. (2019). Evaluating the impact of human resource planning programs in addressing the strategic goal of the firm: An organizational

perspective. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 16(5), 659-682.  https://doi.org/10.1108/JAMR-01-2019-0007Links to an external site.

Hardy, L. (1990). The fabric of this world: Inquiries into calling, career choice, and the design of human work. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Keller, T. (2014). Every good endeavor: Connecting your work to God's work. Penguin.

Mahmoud, D. M. (2019). the relationship between human resource management strategies and regulatory restraint: Evidence from iraq. Academy of Strategic

Management Journal, 18(3), 1-16

Pirson, M. (2020). A humanistic perspective for management research: Protecting dignity and promoting well-being. The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Well-

Being, 1-22.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02470-3_44-1Links to an external site.

Valentine, S., Meglich, P., & Mathis, R. L. (2019). Human resource management. South Western Educational Publishing.