ABSTRACT

SPIRITUAL BELIEFS ENHANCE WORK ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVES INFLUENCE HOW INDIVIDUALS PERCEIVE THEIR DAILY CIRCUMSTANCES AND ORGANIZE THEIR ACTIVITIES, IMPACTING THEIR OVERALL HAPPINESS AND SATISFACTION WITH LIFE AND REINFORCING THEIR MEANING IN THE WORKPLACE. THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY ON WORK ENGAGEMENT AND WELLBEING AMONG RELIGIOUS SISTERS, FOCUSING ON THEIR UNIQUE WORKPLACE DYNAMICS AND COPING STRATEGIES. RECOGNIZING THAT WORK SERVES NOT ONLY AS A MEANS OF SURVIVAL BUT ALSO AS A SOURCE OF SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES THAT CREATE MEANING, HAPPINESS, AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE. MOREOVER, RESEARCH INDICATES THAT SPIRITUALITY PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ENHANCING WELL-BEING, LEADING TO HIGHER LEVELS OF WORK ENGAGEMENT, LIFE SATISFACTION, AND FLOURISHING. THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO FILL A GAP IN EXISTING LITERATURE ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF RELIGIOUS WORKERS AND OFFER INSIGHTS THAT BENEFIT BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. UNDERSTANDING HOW SPIRITUALITY, WORK ENGAGEMENT, AND WELL-BEING INTERACT CAN HELP ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTRIBUTE TO PERSONAL OVERALL WELL-BEING. THIS STUDY HAS ADOPTED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AS THE RESEARCH AS METHODOLOGY. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS ALLOW FOR AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS, PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY FOR PARTICIPANTS TO ELABORATE ON THEIR THOUGHTS. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS THEN APPLIED TO EACH INTERVIEW TO IDENTIFY AND INTERPRET KEY THEMES EMERGING FROM THE DATA, FACILITATING A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PARTICIPANTS’ INSIGHTS (BRAUN & CLARKE, 2006). THEMATIC ANALYSIS REVEALED SEVERAL KEY FINDINGS: SPIRITUALITY SERVES AS A SOURCE OF RESILIENCE, PROVIDES A SENSE OF PURPOSE, AND FOSTERS STRONG COMMUNITY TIES, ALL OF V WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING. THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THAT HIGH LEVELS OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING ARE LINKED TO ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD CREATE TAILORED SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL RELIGIOUS SISTERS, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, AND REGULAR RETREATS. THIS RESEARCH CONTRIBUTES TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY RELIGIOUS SISTERS AND UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY INTO WORKPLACE PRACTICES, OFFERING VALUABLE INSIGHTS FOR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND POLICYMAKERS.