Friday, June 27, 2008

FAITH AT WORK

Yesterday I attended the launch of a new guide on multi-faith design spaces compiled by St. Ethelburgashttp://www.stethelburgas.org. It was a wonderful event, where there were leaders from various industry groups who champion diversity.

The new legislation against religious discrimination requires organisations to provide spaces for employees to worship. It is impossible to have a separate space for each faith, so a multi-faith space makes a lot of sense. How this is designed to accomodate all is a critical issue. The guide covers subjects suchas location of the room, orientation & shape, neutrality, lighting, ventilation and heating, religious artefacts and furniture and accessories. It is wide range in scope and practical and content.

Such a space is also a huge potential bridge for diversity within the organisation and can help resolve employee stress by giving them a quiet space to recharge and reflect. This will create healthy employees and lead to improved performance and productivity.

This guide is an excellent step forward - an idea which could reach out to the whole nation, not just in workplaces, but also in neighbourhoods were people live.