When religion, business go hand in hand

In some ventures, the first order of business is morning prayer, writes ANTHONY NGATIA

On a chilly morning at a bus terminus in downtown Nairobi, a small crowd of people, with caps in their hands bow down in a moment of silence.

And contrary to the high voltage cacophony to be found around this place, it was eerily silent, even one can hear a pin drop.

Then suddenly, the silence is punctuated by loud shouts of Amen, as the middle-aged lady on a raised pavement ends the prayer. The crowd is unmistakable: it comprises of drivers touts and hawkers.

An hour later, inside a huge banking hall across several streets, a gentleman in an immaculate suit and a tie reads a verse from a bible to staff. He then proceeds with a short sermon before closing with a word of prayer. And as the previous case, these workers are praying for the business day ahead.

Behold religion has finally arrived to business. From blue-chip companies to start-ups, the trend of prayers before work is quickly becoming part and parcel of their business culture.

Even rigid organisations not used to much religious fervor are finding space on their annual calendars to slot a prayer day or a thanksgiving day.

Management fad?

And while pundits are wondering if this is another management fad, many are convinced this is the next new management trend.

Business consultant Gared Nyanswani says the trend has been quietly blossoming and has become much widespread in the last few years.

"It seems that business owners and managers are realising they cannot act against a peoples’ culture and be trusted. You have to go by the customers’ culture," he says.

His argument is that because 80 per cent of Kenyans are considered religious, "prayer is an integral part of their lives at home, and so there is no harm if its infused in the workplace."

Hence in the era of increased competition no business would like to look awkward in the face of customers.

In addition, with customers who post comments on social networking sites as Facebook and Twitter, no company would like to be reviewed in negative light," he says.

Some of the embracers of morning prayers include banks that have hitherto operated on strictly business terms.

According to Wilson Kenyatta, a banker who has worked with two banks, one international and the other a local one, "banks have prayer moments especially on Monday mornings where workers sing, share a word of God, pray, and strategise for the week ahead."

Banking on faith

He says in some occasions, a priest or pastor is invited for the sessions, which clearly shows the importance with which corporate institutions hold religion.

"We also have an energiser during such sessions," Wilson says. An energiser is a fetish act or sort of exercise used to ‘energise’ the team for the day’s work.

Gilbert Mwangi, a sociologist and who has worked in several microfinance institutions says he saw the introduction of prayer sessions in the mornings, and soon, then they became an important event in the programme of the institutions.

"One couldn’t imagine financial institutions, could embrace prayers," he says.

He says the world is getting religious unlike the 60s and 70s and for this reason.

"In business image is everything. Many managers know their clientele, especially women are religious, so they inculcate practices like morning prayers to portray they are with their customers," he says.

Apparently, the religious bug does not stop at prayers only. To a keen observer, some business premises have religious slogans such as ‘In God We Trust’ written somewhere on their premises or facilities.

In addition, most businesses are joining the bandwagon for charitable deeds such as participating in community projects to give back to society, which is an aspect of most religions.

The religious tag in business is not only limited to prayers but also trade names with names of saints.

The trend of charity or giving back to society is catching on in most businesses and this practice is associated with most faiths or religions.

In doing this, says Nyanswani, they are telling their customers "look we are with you in everything, why not support us?"

Other institutions that have embraced prayers in their business include educational institutions. They have included in their calendar a prayer day or thanksgiving Day when parents are invited to pray with students, teachers and other staff.

Even in the West, companies have exploited religious and spirituality to maintain market share and profitability.

Behavioural psychologists say that spiritual in workplaces sooth workers psyche and also increase productivity.

Grace Jeptui, a secretary in an international NGO says that she is "glad to have found a home in her workplace as her employer has dedicated prayer sessions."

These, she says, "Makes her more productive and focused" in her work as her spiritual needs are catered for.

According to Merida Wachiama, a preacher, the increasingly popular trend of businesses having dedicated prayer days and reconsidering religion as part and parcel of their work life is the fulfillment of the gospel that "one day, the word of God will be spread everywhere."

Boosting morale

She says workplace prayers have brought good fortunes to preachers as they are at times hired by businesses and companies to lead prayer sessions.

Nahashon Kiragu, a human resources officer, says prayers boost the morale of workers and also enhance teamwork.

He says interpersonal conflicts get fewer once they brought religion in the work place.

"Workers have some restraint while dealing with clients and amongst themselves, especially once we have frequent organisational prayer sessions," he says.

A study published in America when the corporate spirituality wave began to sweep corporate America some 12 years ago shows indeed that employees who work for organisations they consider spiritual are less fearful.

According to the study by Prof Ian Mitroff of University of Southern such employees are less likely to compromise their values and more able to perform better in their jobs.