Believe! Expressing Faith in the Workplace

It is mid-December and officially The Holidays, a generic term used in the United States to describe a smorgasbord of different religious events. Internal and external corporate communications are being generalized; wishing customers Happy Holidays to ensure that the expressing of well-wishes don’t offend and aren’t connected to one faith over the other.

According to several sources, 93% of Americans (305 million) celebrate Christmas. Roughly 22 million celebrate Hanukkah. 12.5 million celebrate Kwanzaa, and 3.5 million celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

Both freedoms of religion and of speech are constitutional rights in the U.S. This research led me to wonder. If this nation believes these truths to be pillars of our society, why does religion consistently appear at the top of the list of topics to avoid discussing at work?

I went into research mode and found an overall consensus that discussing religion at work has the potential of being too divisive of a subject, and I came across recommendations on how to handle discussions of faith in the workplace. Here are a few pieces of advice from my research:

1) Tread very lightly
2) Do not discuss your beliefs in depth
3) Do not express any negative opinions
4) Make the holiday conversation centered around activities, not beliefs

It is possible to handle any topic with grace and respect regardless of how divisive it may seem. We can do this by shifting our perspective and viewing one’s religion as their truth and source of strength, without questioning which aspects we might agree or disagree with. What if we started to be curious about each other’s beliefs, instead of rushing to judgment?

To be my authentic self, I need to express my beliefs even in the workplace. Growing up in Germany, I was raised as a Protestant. I believe in God as the creator of the Universe. My God is inclusive of all and loves unconditionally and without judgment.

My faith continues to provide me with tools that I attribute to my success. Among them are being able to forgive those who hurt me, the patience to let things unfold at God’s speed, the creativity to invent marketing campaigns, the confidence that I am enough, and love and respect for people of different backgrounds, nationalities, and viewpoints.

How have your beliefs supported you in your career? I am curious to read your comments.

Meanwhile I am not afraid to say it; I will even shout it from the rooftops! “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!”