Spiritual fulfilment in a utility company of the City of Johannesburg : a phenomenological study

M.Phil.This study is not a religious quest attempting to either explore or inculcate any form of religious beliefs, rituals or dogma in the workplace. It is however, about exploring what "designers", who usually represent between 1% and 2% of an entire organisation, need to build premier organisations and institutions, such that all their employees feel they are part of something different, special and better. It is also about nurturing the ethos and qualities that produce true organisational success, true effectiveness in both the short- and long-terms, and which respects the interests of all stakeholders. Furthermore, it is about building an organisational culture which is strong, viable and resilient, because it is firmly based upon timeless, enduring values and principles, and not upon quick-fix cosmetics. Many current organisations are plagued by disgruntled and demotivated employees, who lack a deep commitment towards their company's strategic purposes, goals and ideologies, which make it increasingly difficult for organisations to remain competitive in the rapidly emerging global marketplace. Many employees simply come to work because they have to in order to eat and to live. One of the major basic reasons for this is that the current motivational paradigm and its ensuing beliefs, do not incorporate the "spiritual" dimension of employees, and this "missing link" in the current understanding of many leaders and managers is the key to addressing the problems of low employee motivation and both inadequate organisational success and effectiveness. The dominant paradigm which is held by so many managers is therefore incomplete or partial, in that they fail to see people in a whole sense — that is "body", "heart", "mind", and "spirit" — and by failing to understand the true nature of people, they ignore the deeper needs of the whole person. This study is therefore an exploration of that dimension which can perhaps best be captured by the phrase "spirituality at work" (not "religion at work"), and of how this dimension affects the sense of well-being of individuals and materially influences and improves service delivery and the competitiveness of an organisation. Einstein once said, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." In other words, our present problems are a product of our past and present paradigms. Therefore, in order to solve the truly significant challenges, problems and opportunities that organisations face, it is essential that they move to a new and deeper level of thinking. It is hoped that this study will assist managers and leaders to make the necessary paradigm shift and to move into an innovative and necessary level of thinking, in order to address the problem of low employee motivation and consequent organisational ineffectiveness (Covey, 1992b)