Compulsive religious practices in the workplace: through the looking glass and back in search of authenticity among Iranian women

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over the last four decades, employees’ adherence to Islamic rules, even if they do not follow Islam, became necessary in Iran’s organizational environment. As a result, Iranian employees, especially women, are required to conform to religious norms and regulations at work, despite their non-Islamic identity. In this study, we extend identity theory and social identity theories to examine the Islamic-based identity threat experienced by Iranian women and its effect on women’s authenticity at work, turnover intentions, and job satisfaction. We also predict that accepting external influence, as an individual trait, will moderate the effect of Islamic-based identity threat on authenticity at work. Surveying 177 Iranian women, we examine a moderated mediation model. Our findings show that women’s perceptions of Islamic-based identity threat driven by their organizations’ religious rules, policies, and norms prevent them from expressing their authentic core values, resulting in increased turnover intentions and decreased job satisfaction.