What are the cognitive, behavioural and affective variables that Christians need to be effective in the workplace? Kara presents findings from a structured interview approach suggesting a re-examination of how we equip workplace Christians.

Abstract

While there are tools for assessing spiritual values in the workplace, there has been little research into how to spiritually form Christians for the workplace. What are the priorities of learning knowledge (cognition), skills (behaviours), and values (affections) that should be prioritised for a Christian to effectively navigate the modern workplace? These questions of spiritual formation are critical to Christian schools, theological colleges, Christian higher education providers, professional Christian organizations and university groups seeking to prepare workplace Christians who will be able to influence society and culture. What, then, is the shape of the telos of faithful workplace Christians, and how can they be formed?

This research contributes to this conversation by employing the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT)—a structured interview research method—allowing the discovery of individuals’ personal constructs that influence their behaviour, leading to a better understanding of the connection between faith and work. Interviewees are encouraged to tell the story of their spiritual formation. These narratives are subsequently analysed for integration of formation techniques with personal constructs. This paper includes findings from a pilot study of six Christian doctors, and recommendations for educators and individual workers. It will lay the groundwork for future research into the faithful worker in the contemporary workplace.

Author

Kara Martin has authored Workship: How to Use your Work to Worship God, and Workship 2: How to Flourish at Work. She lectures at Mary Andrews College and Alphacrucis College, and has worked in media and communications, human resources, business analysis, and policy development. Kara is researching how to effectively equip workplace Christians, and has had five chapters published in peer-reviewed books.

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