Running Head: SPIRITUALITY AND JOB STATISFACTION zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz
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Relationship between Spirituality and Job Satisfaction in the Workplace
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Abstract
In contemporary times, the topic relating to job satisfaction and spirituality has
gained considerable attention. The topic has gained value and gratitude among
professionals and academicians alike (Hassan et al., 2016), the areas are being researched
to understand how spirituality impacts the job satisfaction of professionals. The study has
been conducted to find the association between the variables – spirituality and job
satisfaction. The in-depth analysis of the primary data has shed light on the fact that
spirituality is a key predictor of job satisfaction. In the hectic times, managers must
support the spiritual growth of their subordinates so that their satisfaction in the
workplace can improve. zz
Introduction
Spirituality refers to the identification of feelings or the belief that there exists
something greater than oneself. A person who is spiritual understands that his or her life
has a meaning beyond his mundane existence. Spiritual individuals are considered to be
the ones who are able to explore specific universal themes such as compassion, love,
wisdom, etc at a deeper level (Spencer, 2012). The concept of job satisfaction has
attained considerable attention these days. It can be defined as the level of contentment
that employees feel toward their work. It goes beyond the normal duties that employees
need to perform in their workplace (Van & Klerk, 2014). zz A number of researchers such
as Walt and Klerk (2014), and Hassan and Nadeem (2016), have conducted studies to
explore the relationship between spirituality and job satisfaction(Hassan et al., 2016).
Klerk has argued that there exists a positive association between workplace spirituality
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and satisfaction. Spirituality plays a major role in the workplace since it expands the
perspective of the staff members and assists them in surviving in the highly dynamic and
competitive work environment. Hassan has stated that spirituality enables staff members to
establish a sense of connection in the work setting, which fosters feelings of cooperation
and harmony. The spirituality of staff positively impacts the organizational culture and
behaviour of the staff (Hassan et al., 2016). zz zz
Aim and objectives
The primary aim of the study is to explore the relationship between spirituality and
job satisfaction in the workplace. By finding the interlink between these variables, it will
be possible to understand whether the job satisfaction of professionals can be strengthened
or not through spirituality. The following objectives have been designed in the study
context so that the aim can be attained:
• To explore the concept of spirituality and its relevance in the workplace
• To find the relationship between spirituality and job satisfaction in the workplace
Literature
Job satisfaction of individuals is influenced by a host of factors. The research in
work psychology area has revealed that spirituality plays an instrumental role in
influencing how satisfied professionals are in their workplace (Bella et al., 2021).
According to Forsythe (2016), there exists a positive association between the spirituality
of individuals and their job satisfaction (Forsythe, 2016) . Vohra has identified specific
spirituality components such as the meaning as well as purpose in work, recognition of
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inner self and interconnected which play a key role in moulding the job satisfaction of
professionals (Belwalkar et al., 2018). By working on spirituality, deviant behavior can be
prevented among staff members of organizations. Thus, it can positively impact the work
climate and contribute to better job satisfaction at an integrated level (Ahmad & Omar,
2014).
Research Methodology
For conducting the research study to capture the relationship between spirituality
and job satisfaction in the workplace, the quantitative research design has been adopted.
Quantitative research design is extremely popular in the research context since it enables
researchers to collect quantifiable data to address research questions.
Primary data has been gathered from respondents on the research topic. As the
topic is of high relevance in the contemporary work setting, first-hand or primary data
has been identified as the main data type. The questionnaire has been used as the main
research tool to collect primary data. Random sampling method has been identified so
that the possibility of bias or prejudice can be avoided. High emphasis has been laid on
ethical dimensions such as informed consent, confidentiality and privacy of the
respondents, integrity, transparency and objectivity (Bos, 2020).
The chief variables that have been identified while conducting the study are
spirituality and job satisfaction. Spirituality has been identified as the independent
variable, whereas job satisfaction has been identified as the dependent variable in the
study. The association between these variables has been determined by using regression
analysis. In the research context, it is vital for researchers to capture the correlation
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between dependent and independent variables so that better insight can be gained to
understand whether there exists a cause-and-effect relationship or not (Thanoon et al.,
2015).
Results of the study
Descriptive statistics have been used in the study to ascertain the association
between spirituality and job satisfaction.
Frequencies zz
For the gender or sex variable, the frequency statistics have been used because it
is a categorical variable. Since the categories are not in order, the descriptive statistics
would not have served any purpose.
Table 1
zz zz z zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz Statistics
Sex
N
Valid Data
Missing
20
0
zz
The table highlights that a total of 20 participants had participated in the study,
and there is no missing information. Out of the 20 participants ,10 belonged to the male
category and 10 belong to female categories . Thus the male % was 50 % and the
female % was also 50 %.
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Descriptive Analysis
On the basis of the descriptive analysis, it has been identified that the age of the
youngest participant was 18 years, whereas the age of the oldest participant was 56 years.
Hypothesis testing zz
Statistics analysis was used in the study for testing the significance of the
association between spirituality and job satisfaction. According to the reviewed literature,
it has been projected that there exists a significant positive association between the two
variables. The simple regression method has been used to capture the association between
spirituality (independent variable) and job satisfaction (dependent variable) which are both
quantitative variables.
Table 3
Descriptive Statistics
Mean
Std. Deviation
N
Job satisfactory
68.50
16.195
20
Spirituality
90.70
26.232
20
The table gives an insight into the descriptive summary of the independent and
dependent variables. The Mean Job Satisfaction is 68.50, and the standard deviation is
16.19. The mean spirituality among the respondents is 90.70 the standard deviation is
26.23.
Table 4
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Model Summary
Model
R
R Square
Adjusted R Square
Std. The error in
the Estimate
1
.642a
.412
.379
12.758
a. Predictors: (Constant), spirituality
The table captures the regression model’s goodness of fit. The model’s coefficient
of R2 is 0.412, which implies that there is 41.2 % variation on terms of job satisfaction.
The coefficient correlation indicates a moderate positive association between spirituality
and job satisfaction. When spirituality increases by one unit, the job satisfaction increases
by 0.642 units.
Table 5
ANOVA
Model
Sum of
Squares
df
Mean
Square
F
Sig.
1
Regression
2053.109
1
2053.109
12.613
.002b
Residual
2929.891
18
162.772
Total
4983.000
19
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Table 5 captures ANOVA relating to the regression model. According to the
ANOVA results, spirituality is a vital predictor of job satisfaction at the 0.05 significance
level. This evidence is enough to reject the null hypothesis. So, it can be concluded that
the spiritual level is vital to ascertain workers’ job satisfaction.
Table 6
Coefficients
Model
Unstandardized
Coefficients
Standardized
Coefficients
t
Sig.
B
Std. Error
Beta
1
(Constant)
32.558
10.515
3.096
.006
Spirituality
.396
.112
.642
3.552
.002
a. Dependent Variable: Job satisfactory
The table presents the coefficient of the model. It can be observed that the job
satisfaction score for completely non-spiritual workers was M = 32.56, SE = 10.52. The
job satisfaction rose by 0.396 for the rise in spirituality by a single unit. The table even
captures the importance of spirituality for predicting workers’ job satisfaction.
Discussion
In the study, a sample of 10 males and 10 females have been selected to capture
the association between spirituality and job satisfaction in the workplace. The regression
analysis has been used for investigating the relationship between the variables. The results
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of regression analysis indicate that spirituality can influence and help in predicting job
satisfaction considerably. It accounted for 41.2 % of job satisfaction-related variation. zz
The findings of the study are aligned with Dennis et al. (2003) since his work has
also revealed that there exists a significant positive correlation between religious aspects
and job satisfaction. His study included participants from around 38 nations. It noted that
religious employees consider their work, a form of service to others which increases their
level of satisfaction. The current study’s results also get support from Horvath (2015),
who has found that bank CEOs who are religious have higher work satisfaction than non-
religious bank CEOs. There exists a positive association between job satisfaction and
spirituality due to the high level of trust that exists in spiritual leaders. It improves their
job performance and satisfaction level. Koenig and Bussing have also shared similar
findings. According to their study, spiritual staff members have better physical health,
including BMI as compared to non-spiritual staff. The study also found that the
association was mediated by job satisfaction.
The study has revealed a significant association between spirituality and job
satisfaction. But the results are restricted by the scales that have been used for measuring
the variables. No tests were conducted to establish the association between validity and
reliability dimensions. Hence there is a possibility that the scales may not measure the
intended elements of job satisfaction and spirituality.
The study has implications for business owners and managers. The results show
that job satisfaction can be improved by adopting spiritual practice. As job satisfaction
can improve job efficiency, managers must encourage spirituality among their staff to
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boost job satisfaction. Similar studies can be conducted to examine the association
between spirituality and the psychological health of individuals. The research can add
value as there are a high number of people with mental health issues.
Conclusion and recommendation
The research study centres around the concept of spirituality and job satisfaction in
the workplace. On the basis of the study, it has been identified that spirituality is a key
predictor of job satisfaction among workers. The employees who are spiritual are able to
derive a higher level of satisfaction from their work as compared to professionals who
are not spiritual in nature. The insight that has been captured from the study is of high
relevance in the practical work setting since managers can promote the spirituality of
their staff and subordinates to improve their satisfaction level.
The main recommendation that has been made based on the findings of the study
is that employers and managers need to conduct workshops that centre around the
spiritual growth of their staff. It can help to cultivate positive values in the staff and
strengthen the organizational climate.
References
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