Meaningfulness and Religious/Spiritual Meaning Systems at Work: A Multilevel Framework

AbstractIn this chapter, we examine the intersections of positive psychology (in particular, meaningfulness), religious and spiritual meaning systems, and the human experience of working. Psychological research and application related to work have generally taken either an individual perspective (within vocational psychology and career development) or an organizational perspective (within industrial-organizational psychology, management, and organizational behavior), usually contextualized within broader cultural and economic frames. Accordingly, we used a multilevel integrative model to explore factors that influence how religious/spiritual meaning systems can contribute to the experience of meaningfulness at work. This approach accounts for the individual, job, organizational, and societal levels of experience. Researchers are invited to test segments of the model using appropriate statistical techniques such as multilevel modeling. Counselors, human resource professionals, and organizational leaders are encouraged to invite workers to draw from their religious/spiritual meaning systems to inform career decisions and influence organizational policies and goals.