Let’s first take a look at my area of research, I am in the Industrial/Organizational
Psychology field where my focus is based on motivation and job satisfaction in
the workplace. Having conducted assignments in previous classes based on
science and empiricism, I have come to many conclusions as to what motivates
individuals in their jobs to increase performance whether it be intrinsic motivation
or extrinsic motivation. There are many factors that I have evaluated through
numerous studies that has given me justification to better understand the
workplace until now.
After taking this class and reading Wolters, Creation Regained (2005), it has
provided me with new insight as to how the Grand Narrative plays a part in how I
look at the workplace specifically with employee job satisfaction. I look to
examine the parallels of a Christian Worldview perspective by examining the
Grand Narrative from creation, fall, redemption and the new creation, I see how
motivation can be redefined based on the Scriptures of God. As God the creator
of all illustrates that jobs were created for people and the people that are in these
jobs were fit based on personality, skill and competency. Therefore, it is not
motivation that we should focus on but rather God has selected the proper
individual for that specific role where they will excel, have a positive attitude, be a
team player and offer their services to those around them. These employees are
responsible for spreading the image and reflection of God in the workplace.
However, there are times where we have an unmotivated individual who brings
negativity and scorn into the workplace. These individuals are a by-product of the
fall and should be punished for their sins. They are typically either fired or need a
reset with their job morality. They have lost purpose, they are broken and divided.
During this time away from work they need to reorder their love through the
Gospel. These individuals lost their motivation and struggle to find their why. They
complain and are miserable and create a hostile and dark work environment.
It is during this time that God as given them redemption to either succeed in their
current work environment or at a new place of employment. They are given the
gift from God, the hope in a broken world. God is reconciling and restoring faith in
these individuals as God is on a rescue mission. God has now positioned these
individuals at work with the new creation so that He will walk long their side
giving them guidance and hope for the future. This new work environment is their
new kingdom of glorification so that they can make things right and explore the
truth, beauty and goodness that they offer as a servant of God as an ideal
employee. During this recreation, job satisfaction is at its peak as each employee
has found the meaning of their roles and the purpose of their responsibilities at
work. They are to ensure that they serve themselves as well as those around
them.
I can now see how the Grand Narrative does in fact lay the ground-work and pave
the pathway for the evolution of employees in the workplace and while we hope
that all individuals enter the workplace as being created from God, we see that at
times they are succumb to the fall. But we do not worry as those that have fallen
will be redeemed and recreated with a new sense of purpose. With this, I
reevaluate my findings of job satisfaction in the workplace.
References
Wolters, A. M. (2005). Creation regained: Biblical basics for a reformational
worldview. William B. Eerdmans Pub.
