Rosary beads, burkas and beards in the boardroom

The first Muslims in New Zealand were Chinese gold miners in the mid nineteenth century.  The first recorded Indian in New Zealand was a Bengali man, probably a Hindu who jumped ship and married a Maori woman in 1810.  Black Peter who was instrumental in the first gold sightings in the Otago region in 1858 was said to be from India, probably Goa, and is likely to have been a Christian. 

In the 21st century, New Zealand is a pluri-religious society, though nearly 1.2 million people profess no religion. While 53% of the population or 2.1 million identify as Christians, there are 64,567 Hindus, 36,150 Muslims, 52,392 Buddhists and 9507 Sikhs. 

The growth of non-Christian religions has challenged businesses to move away from set mental models of what is acceptable in organisations.

Such movement towards the non-traditional is in line with changing hegemonies and the growing importance of countries such as India, China, and the Middle East. In the changing geographies of religion, or the pursuit of the sublime in its various manifestations,  sensuous geographies such as the role of the body in reproducing various religious values and identities, and visible expressions of religion in organisations remains an unchartered realm. As rosary beads and karakia, beards and burkas, turbans, mullahs, ministers and priests, are increasingly omnipresent in our organisations there is an urgent need to understand, acknowledge and celebrate the magnificence of diversity inherent in our being human. Religion once restricted to traditional sites of worship in churches, mosques, monasteries, synagogues and temples is now expressed in new spaces such as in businesses, streetscapes and cafes serving halal and kosher food.

Scholarship in the area of religious diversity in organisations indicates that visible expressions of communion with a higher being, through articulated prayer, specific dress and observance of non-traditional holy days create unease in employers. Thus is it economically viable to allow employees to observe their Sabbath or weekly holy day? How will various holy days during Diwali and Id, for example be factored in to an employee's contract? On fasting days, should employees be given lighter work? How will such practices impact organisations which function 24/7 such as hotels and hospitals?

On the other hand, for many employees, new to New Zealand, they may feel typecast or presumed terrorist or jihadist, because of their visible diversity discriminators. Studies indicate that alienation may result in conflict and clashes. These are some of the curly issues which organisations are struggling with as they seek to survive and thrive in a very competitive global marketplace.

Yet, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and well-being are linked to profits, and when organisations tread softly but firmly in the delicate terrain of religious expression at work, employees are likely to be happier, take sickies less often, and go the extra mile. International treaties including the universal declaration of human rights and the international covenant on civil and political rights uphold the right to freedom of religion and belief. These rights are reflected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and Human Rights Act. The right to religion entails affording this right to others and not infringing their human rights and New Zealand generally complies with and exceeds international standards. A framework for the recognition of NZ's diverse faith communities and their harmonious interaction with each other includes recognition and accommodation, i.e. reasonable steps should be taken in educational and work environments and in the delivery of public services to recognise and accommodate diverse religious beliefs and practices. Thus for example the New Zealand police have a practical reference book pertaining to religious diversity. The Human Rights Commission facilitates a national religious diversity network Te korowai whakapono and have a booklet on religious diversity in the New Zealand workplace with questions and concerns.

In an ever changing world of multiple realities, collapsing economies and planetary fragility, perhaps it is time to reappraise how religion permeates the colour palette of our organisations as we cater to mercantile patrons and tourists. As a nation, we pride ourselves on giving people a fair go and the poignant hope is that our country is not only a geographical land but a sonata, where the pohutukawa is not a red colour but a grace, and where the tui’s melodious song is a symphony to the soul.

Edwina Pio

http://www.aut.ac.nz/profiles/business/associate-professors/edwina-pio