So you are looking to hire someone and are browsing potential candidates when you come across a work history that includes work at a local church. Is that a red flag? What transferable skills could they have? Will there be a conflict of organisational values? Can they work Sunday shifts?
These are good and fair things to consider… especially in a time where we wish to uphold diversity and inclusion. So I’d like to offer some thoughts that start with considering the hiring of (ex-) church workers (whose religious persuasion cannot be so easily masked on their resume) and then I will expand into religious identity, and finally offer a solution by way of respectful pluralism. And considering that more than half the world’s population is religious, I think this conversation is worth having.
If you have never been involved in a local religious community, outside of perhaps attending a service, then it’s understandable you may have no idea what transferable skills might emerge from church-based roles like senior pastor/minister, youth pastor/minister, associate pastor/minister, business manager, secretary, music director etc. Because my background includes years of working in and with Christian churches across Australia and abroad, I am going to focus on Christian church workers, however, I am quite sure many Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and other faith friends might be able to relate. I should add to that the following is also influenced by three things; (1) my current PhD research which explores Higher Education to Australian small business practitioners, (2) the challenges I have encountered in my years job-seeking outside the religious sector, and (3) discussions I have had with others who have a similar working background and have experienced discrimination.
Let’s talk about transferable skills. If the resume states that the candidate was a local church pastor/minister (senior, associate, or youth) for several years it’s important to know that thre are likely to be many years prior to their employment timeline that they were very active as volunteers. Getting a paid job, as a minister of sorts, generally requires years of proving yourself worthy of the role. Many senior roles also requires several years of tertiary education in ministry and religious studies.
Below is a list of transferable skills which are quite common among church-workers:
- Leadership and communication – demonstrating leadership capabilities and having good intergenerational communication skills are part of the church-work.
- Community Care – they often are working at a church because they genuinely care for the wellbeing of others.
- Business Governance – most churches are complex small businesses. They have staffing, finance, compliance, insurance, buildings, board elections, marketing, websites etc.
- Networking/Sales – they are often great sales people and networkers (who have successfully been selling an invisible entity).
- Public Speaking / Performance – consider at least 50hrs+ behind a mic per year they have worked – depending on the church role. (e.g. because I was a singer and then a travelling speaker, I would have accumulated approx. 4,000 hours across nearly 3 decades)
- Event coordination – the average weekly church service stacks up against the average yearly corporate event or conference.
- Tech savvy – many ministers are very tech savvy when it comes to computing and media production.
OK, you’ve considered the transferable skills, but what about nuanced moral and identity considerations? After all, this religious person is coming in with some preloaded values, and values-alignment are important, right? Enter, religious identity.
Identity theory studies extend far beyond religion and include race, gender, sexuality, ability, political, education, and other components of one’s identity. How and why we identify in these areas are a major component of our very selves. Religious identity refers to the sense of belonging and identification with a particular religion. It encompasses the beliefs, practices, values, and cultural aspects associated with that religion. This identity can significantly influence an individual’s worldview, behaviour, and interactions with others (Ysseldyk et al. 2010, YingFei et al., 2020).
Religious identity is a significant component of an individual’s overall identity, interacting with various identity theories by influencing social, personal, and role identities. Recognising these interactions can help in understanding the complexities of identity in social and organisational contexts. In an extensive review of academic literature (N – 70,752), YingFei et al. (2020) sought to shed light on the role of religious identity in the workplace. Although not exclusively focused on Christians, or individuals who have been church-workers, it may be safe to assume that most (ex-) church-workers maintain a religious identity, of sorts. With this in mind, what might an organisation that espouses diversity and inclusion consider when hiring someone whose religious background might seem apparent on their resume? And, what should organisational People and Culture / HR leads consider when hiring for diversity and fostering inclusion in the workplace?
YingFei at al. (2020) point out that employers must be aware of the law and their duty to accommodate their employees’ religious beliefs except where undue hardships arise. Sadly, despite legal support for religious accommodation, religious discrimination cases have sharply increased in recent years (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2018). In most Western legal systems, these employment laws are clear. In Australia, Christian holidays and days of worship (e.g. Sunday, Easter) are often non-work days and public holidays. This might suit me, however, my Muslim friends worship on Fridays and their holy days (e.g. Eid al-Fitr) fall on different days every year. Should I be accommodated by default but my Muslim or Hindu colleagues not? If you sincerely want to create an inclusive workplace, these might be discussions worth having with employees, understanding that religious identity is very nuanced and individual.
Creating a genuinely inclusive workplace means welcoming the expression of religious identities. To meaningfully embrace religious diversity, organisations need to actively cultivate an environment that acknowledges and engages with values, rather than attempting to be value-neutral. This approach of being value-expressing, over being value-free allows organisations to explore how religious values may complement or align with their organisational principles. Hicks (2003) suggests ‘respectful pluralism’ as a practical way forward. Respectful pluralism is a concept that emphasises the coexistence of diverse beliefs, values, and practices within a society, where individuals and groups show mutual respect and understanding despite their differences. It involves acknowledging and valuing diversity while fostering dialogue and cooperation among various cultural, religious, and ideological communities.
Practical ways to encourage respectful pluralism and support well-being across religious and non-religious staff include implementing inclusive policies and practices that accommodate diverse religious beliefs, such as flexible work schedules and spaces for prayer, while also providing cultural competence training to foster understanding and appreciation of religious diversity. Leadership commitment and a supportive organisational culture are crucial in promoting an environment where all employees feel valued and respected for their religious identities.
As someone who has hired, fired, and managed staff over the years, I very much empathise with the concerned employer who may be thinking, “Great, now I need to offer all my Muslim staff Fridays off and not offer the Christians a Sunday shift! How am I going to run an organisation which serves the public if it becomes all about accommodating these religious needs?”. That’s an honest concern! YingFei at al. (2020) note that conflicts between personal and organisational values are not uncommon. A person need not be religious to encounter conflicting values in the workplace.
Respectful pluralism in the workplace requires balancing religious accommodation with organisational missions, ensuring that while employees can express their religious values and opt out of certain tasks, the organisation’s responsibilities to the public are still fulfilled through alternative arrangements. Organisations can achieve this balance by proactively identifying potential value conflicts, developing solutions through collective dialogue, and implementing practical accommodations such as reflection rooms or task-sharing protocols, particularly in public-facing service sectors.
To conclude, the evidence suggests that religious identity warrants the same careful consideration in workplace diversity and inclusion strategies as other aspects of personal identity. Former church workers and individuals of faith may bring not only valuable transferable skills to organisations, but may also contribute to the kind of perspectives that drive innovation and organisational success.
The implementation of respectful pluralism need not compromise operational effectiveness. Rather, by thoughtfully balancing religious accommodation with organisational objectives, employers can create environments where diversity of belief becomes a strength rather than a perceived obstacle. As workplaces continue to evolve, the organisations that thrive will be those that recognise religious identity as an integral component of genuine inclusion—moving beyond superficial diversity metrics to foster environments where all employees, irrespective of their faith background, can meaningfully contribute to organisational success whilst maintaining their authentic selves.
Would love to hear your thoughts or experiences as a candidate or employer.
David Tensen
References:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2018). Charge statistics FY 1997 through FY 2017.
Hicks, D. A. (2003). Religion and the workplace: Pluralism, spirituality, leadership. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Morrison, M., & Borgen, W. A. (2010). How Christian spiritual and religious beliefs help and hinder counselors’ empathy toward clients. Counseling and Values, 55, 25–45.
YingFei, Héliot., Ilka, H., Gleibs., Adrian, Coyle., Denise, M., Rousseau., Celine, Rojon. (2020). Religious identity in the workplace: A systematic review, research agenda, and practical implications. Human Resource Management, 59(2):153-173. doi: 10.1002/HRM.21983
Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2010). Religiosity as identity: Toward an understanding of religion from a social identity perspective. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14, 60–71.