The Connection between Perceived Workplace Discrimination and Viewing Work as a Spiritual Calling

Abstract

Research shows that perceived workplace discrimination shapes an individual's job satisfaction and intent to leave a job. This study considers whether these impacts may be attenuated if an individual views their work as a spiritual calling. Using data from a nationally representative survey (N = 9,907), our analysis shows that perceived work discrimination due to race, gender, and religion are all independently associated with less job satisfaction net of a variety of other measures. Viewing work as a spiritual calling is associated with greater job satisfaction, even when accounting for traditional measures of religiosity. The negative impact of perceived discrimination on job satisfaction is weaker among those who view work as a spiritual calling. These findings provide evidence of the mechanisms underlying job satisfaction and have implications for understanding how religion might help mitigate the negative consequences of perceived discrimination in the workplace, or allow discrimination to potentially go unaddressed.

Childhood Maltreatment and Adult Work Absenteeism: Work Meaningfulness as a Double-Edged Sword

“…Similar results have been found concerning an enhanced willingness to overwork and erratic job behavior among international aid workers [32]. In a similar vein, it was recently found that the negative impact of perceived discrimination on job satisfaction is weaker among those who view their work as a spiritual calling (i.e., having a high sense of work meaningfulness), a mechanism that may allow discrimination in organizations to potentially go unaddressed [64].…”