WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY: METAPHORS AND OPINIONS OF TEACHERS

Abstract

This study examined metaphors teachers provided about what their concepts of spirituality were. It also examined teachers’ opinions regarding workplace spirituality definitions, along with the qualities a spiritual organization requires. Based on the qualitative research method, the research was structured according to a phenomenological design. The sample studied was composed of two groups of teachers (N=40) from another study conducted on the schools’ spiritual development program during the 2016-2017 academic year in Sanliurfa, Turkey. The teachers from both groups volunteered to participate in different parts of this study and answered written questions about their personal metaphors to explain their concept of spirituality and what they think about the place of spirituality in schools, in light of their interpretations and definitions of workplace spirituality and spiritual qualities. While the first part of the study produced 18 different metaphors such as “ water, knowing the self, energy, sea, space, math, oxygen, students, nucleus ”, the second part included 30 different opinions about workplace spirituality on both a personal and a group level. The results show that the participants consider workplace spirituality as an important issue for self-identity, organizational identity, and growth. Article visualizations: