Disclose your religion to find job satisfaction

Employees who openly discuss their religious beliefs at work are often happier and have a higher job satisfaction than those who do not, says a study. For many people, religion is the core of their lives.

"Being able to express important aspects of one's life can influence work-related issues such as job satisfaction, work performance or engagement. It can be beneficial for organisations to have a climate that is welcoming to every religion and culture," said Sooyeol Kim, a student of psychological sciences at Kansas State University.

For the cross-cultural study, the researchers surveyed nearly 600 working adults from a variety of industries - including education and finance, in the US and South Korea. The researchers asked participants how important religion was to them and how it helped to shape their identity.

The results showed that employees who valued religion as a core part of their lives were more likely to disclose their religion in the workplace. "Employees who felt pressure to assimilate in the workplace were less likely to disclose their religious identity," Kim noted.

But most significantly, the team found that the employees who disclosed their religion in the workplace had several positive outcomes, including higher job satisfaction and higher perceived well-being.

"When you try to hide your identity, you have to pretend or you have to lie to others which can be stressful and negatively impact how you build relationships with co-workers," Kim pointed out.

There are several ways by which employees can share their religion in the workplace.
Employees might decorate their desk with a religious object. They also may share stories or information about their religious beliefs during conversation. The study appeared in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour.