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Religious expression at work (REW) has a unique place in France. The authors studied the perception of the postures of four organizations in the face of this phenomenon, focusing on the gap between official posture and the posture applied by managers.

Using a qualitative approach, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews (40), observation periods and documentary analysis within four organizations. This multiple embedded case study was undertaken in four different firms in France: an international private firm, a public organization, and two small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with original models of REW management.

A distinction between aligned and non-aligned postures emerged. There was a lack of alignment in only two of the four organizations, and this alignment concerned only two units of analysis: prayer on break and wearing religious symbols. Several extrinsic factors were identified in this lack of alignment between the official posture and the posture actually applied by managers: the form of REW, the religion concerned and whether it had minority status in the country, the degree of clarity of the official posture, the degree of formalization of the official posture, the size and scope of the company, the degree of awareness of managers and their teams, the degree of involvement of leaders in the definition and implementation of the posture, and the purpose of the official posture.

This research provides a sensitive understanding of religious expression at work and shows that alignment is sought specifically for each form of REW. The distinction between official posture and applied posture is highlighted through the study of perceptions. In addition, this study enables the identification of factors that influence the alignment of official and operational postures.

These results call for clarity of the official posture and for it to be defended by leaders, provision of meaning to postures by raising awareness among intermediate hierarchical lines, understanding of the applicable legal framework to transpose it to the local level, and analysis of unaligned forms of REW to build a strong, shared posture.

This study, which was carried out within a specific French context, concerns areas that have received little attention or have not been studied at all to date, such as REW in SMEs or in the public sector, and demonstrates for the first time the distinction between official postures and effective postures.

The purpose of this paper is to consider in broad terms how employers may respond to different forms of religious expression by employees in the workplace, within the discretion afforded to them by law.

Through a discussion of relevant legislation and case law, and a review of relevant literature, it seeks to identify the legal constraints within which employers must operate when determining policy and practice in this area and gives consideration to how they should respond.

It is observed that employers enjoy considerable freedom either to impose restrictions or to encourage religious expression.

The paper considers some of the over-arching principled arguments both for and against encouraging religious freedom at work, whilst concluding that support for religious expression may be the better option, not least for the positive benefits for employee well-being, commitment and engagement which, it is argued, may result.

This paper aims to explore the changing nature of religion (also described in terms of faith or spirituality) as experienced in the USA, particularly regarding the interrelationship between business and religion within the contexts of culture, law and management. With a solid understanding of these subjects, business leaders, judges and public policy officials will be able to more effectively deal with issues arising from a more religious workplace.

This paper begins by examining the religious nature of the USA, with attention paid to the embrace of religious tolerance from a cultural perspective and religious liberty from a legal perspective. The piece then looks at the characteristics associated with religious vibrancy. Then, the paper delves into the impact of religion on business, both yesterday and today. Legal and managerial literature, studies and perspectives are used to determine how business can respond and perhaps even embrace a more religious business environment.

After describing and critiquing cultural, legal and managerial dimensions associated with an increasingly religious business environment at worker and owner levels, this paper suggests there exists currently an adequate legal structure to serve the needs of religious workers and owners, if properly managed. More research is needed to find solutions to situations where competing interests conflict, but this paper provides a foundation upon which further study can be conducted.

This paper draws from cultural, legal and management sources to provide an understanding of the current religious environment facing business, legal and public policy leaders.

This research aims to explain, in the secular French context, the intention of managers to accommodate religious expression at work (REW) when they are not obliged to do so. This paper seeks to understand the determinants of managerial positions on REW. Building on previous studies on how organisations and managers deal with religious expression, this research seeks to extend the evidence on this important aspect of managerial behaviour in relation to accommodating REW.

The hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in diversity management (N = 151 French managers). This method highlights attitudinal and organisational determinants favourable to the intent to accommodate.

The present research provides new insight by identifying two main direct factors affecting managers' accommodation, namely, organisational flexibility (flexible hours, autonomy) and perceived consequences (advantages, disadvantages) and one indirect factor, religiosity. In line with the contradictions within diversity management, the perceived consequences are ambivalent and highly context dependent. One issue to explore is that managers seek to deal with religious expression by making it invisible.

In the French context, the explanatory social norm might not be “religiosity” but rather “perceived secularity”. The authors recommend that future studies use qualitative methods with interviews and photo elicitation to extend this first study. Indeed, the complexity of the managerial position requires an in-depth understanding of managers' attitudes and behaviours with regard to religion. How do managers apply a common ground strategy and create unity despite differences? Is the desire to make arrangements invisible with a view to inclusive neutrality specific to France, or can it be generalised to managers in other countries? Does the intention to accommodate not essentially depend on the manager-employee relationship dynamic? This research raises questions for scholars about the relationship with the other and ethical managerial conduct.

France is a secular country where a debate is emerging on cases of discrimination due to REW. The results contribute to approaches to drafting company guidelines for managers and may help organisations anticipate the risks associated with REW. The discussion of the results reveals the importance of social norms in the sense of hypernorms (religiosity) and undoubtedly of secularism, nondiscrimination and gender equality in the decision-making process on accommodation. These inclusive norms should therefore be handled with care in the various guidelines that have been developed.

REW is increasing but is a neglected dimension of diversity management. This study helps explore this new field by promoting an understanding of managers' intention to accommodate in a specific secular context.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Few topics are more divisive than religion. You would have to search hard to find another issue with the same unrelenting ability to polarize views. History books provide ample testimony to that fact. It is therefore hardly surprising to find religious freedom to be a major challenge in the workplace. Determining how, when and in what circumstances workers should be permitted to engage in religious expression is a conundrum facing many organizations. Granting such a freedom needs to be balanced against the needs and rights of other employee groups.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

This chapter argues that the theoretical core of the First Amendment can be found in the concept of disestablishment, and that the meaning of disestablishment can be, and has been, extended from the religious sphere to the secular. It explores the historical development of rights of conscience and dissent, and the application of those rights to various changing historical circumstances, such as the development of political parties and the struggle over slavery. It then turns to an application of this analysis to several contemporary First Amendment controversies, including campaign finance and sexual expression.

This chapter discusses religious diversity and the religious minority student on the HBCU campus. The author discusses existing literature and research on religious minority college students and the challenges and experiences of religious minorities on campus. The primary purpose of this chapter is to improve HBCU practitioners’ abilities to promote religious pluralism and tolerance of all faiths. Student affairs practitioners must first have a fundamental understanding of who is a religious minority.

This study aims to assess the effect of religiosity on the job satisfaction of nurses in response to the paucity of studies that have investigated this relationship in a health care setting. The authors also tested the moderation impact of materialism on the religiosity–satisfaction nexus.

The quantitative (correlational) research technique was applied to test hypotheses of interest. The simple random sampling method was used to select a representative sample of 458 nurses. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structures of relevant constructs and to test hypotheses. The study’s ultimate CFA model produced a good fit at 5 per cent significance level [Chi-square (χ²) = 19.121; p = 0.454].

Religiosity was found to make a positive effect on job satisfaction and a negative effect on materialism. Materialism makes a negative effect on job satisfaction. Religiosity and materialism makes a significant negative interaction effect on nurses’ satisfaction after controlling for job income.

It is therefore concluded that religiosity is a positive behaviour that contributes to the satisfaction of nurses, but materialism must be avoided or at least reduced to maximise this impact.

In this study, the authors demonstrate that the positive effect of religiousness on job satisfaction can be negatively moderated by materialism so that religiousness makes less impact on satisfaction owing to the negative influence of materialism on job satisfaction.

The debate concerning the religious use of psychoactive substances may seem an unlikely candidate for revival in the current prohibitionist climate. Drug consumption is far more likely to incite public concern over the harmful and habit forming properties of certain substances, than conjure up an enthusiasm born of the 1960s for their potential to produce a sincere mystical experience. However, the recent emergence of religious movements who consume plant hallucinogens as their sacrament, and the growth of drug tourism for the spiritually inclined, reflects a renaissance in the use of psychoactive plants and chemicals for spiritual inspiration. This trend presents a challenge to the way in which certain drugs are culturally and legally defined, and brings the concept of religious freedom into the sphere of drug policy.

This paper aims to review the very limited literature on tourist harassment, discusses determinants and offers some policy suggestions for controlling the problem. Some emphasis is given to the Caribbean where harassment has been a long‐standing issue.

In order to gauge the extent and patterns of harassment, an exhaustive review of the literature is conducted and two recent case studies on Barbados and Marmaris, Turkey are extensively summarized.

Results indicate harassment is an increasing problem with global dimensions. Vendor persistence is the main type, followed by drug peddling and sexual harassment with most incidents occurring at the beach and/or shopping areas and the least at hotels. Regarding underlying determinants, the literature emphasizes host‐guest socio‐economic distances while the case studies emphasize cultural differences.

Although the research review is limited principally to third‐world destinations, suggested best practice policy directions are useful for mature destinations in developed countries. They include: involving all tourism stakeholders in addressing the issue, promoting programs to enhance resident‐visitor mutual understanding, improving reporting mechanisms and systematic tracking of the problem and, in the long run, integrating those at the margin who comprise most of the harassers into the tourism mainstream.

The paper fills a gap in the literature on a growing concern and concludes with two training exercises to deepen understanding of the issue.