Organizational belief-systems and values are among one of the most crucial elements in an enterprise ( Alas & Mousa, 2016) . It is influenced by various factors ranging from the type of organization, the nature of its participants, and the internal and external environment surrounding the business. Religion, being the foundation of values and norms, affects participants' characteristics and the social culture of the organization, and therefore it is considered one of the backbones of organization culture. The religious factor does not determine the conduct of individuals and community and has a significant impact on transforming the field of business. This paper aims to discuss the effects of different religious beliefs and practices on organizational culture and propose affirmative policies that will help improve corporate culture by including different religious beliefs and practices.
The Cultural Dimension of Religion
The concept of religion in the organizational structure explores how the dichotomy of religion influences corporate culture. The impact of faith in the workplace cannot be underestimated because they are a fundamental component of human society ( Steiger & Henry, 2020) . Studies, although fragmentary, indicate that there is a relationship between religion and attitudes towards work. Faith is connected to job satisfaction, motivation, and the level of commitment to work culture. It equips people with a set of values that they should adopt in their social life. Thus, the role of religion is imperative as it strongly influences organizational life. Buddhism firmly upholds the orthodox Brahmanism, which has been crucial in shaping various aspects of the organization. Its ethical code is built on the emphasis of simple acts of purity, charity, and control over selfish desires and passions. Its actions of promoting social equality and social justice have enabled many organizations to root out unhealthy values such as discrimination and other social injustices.
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At the workplace, Christian values view work as a path that guides individuals towards their life goals and not just about paychecks. Christianity directs that each member should be guided by a company's values, which should always be per the Christian doctrines. Pagans are secularists who do not conform to the values of any religion. As a culture, secularization is perceived as a threat to the freedom of religious identities in the public market place. This move has dramatically influenced the organizational structure as people who believe that religion should not be included in all domains of public life have fueled an offensive attitude towards those who are against them. One most significant impact of these discriminations in the workplace is that it leads to employee disengagement resulting in low morale and productivity, which in the end is counted as the organization's loss. Discrimination and harassment should be considered less as a private matter and much understood as a public affair that will affect everyone.
Still, inclusion and assimilation is an essential component in an organizational structure as it forms a larger part of the modern-day phenomenon ( Alas & Mousa, 2016) . Embracing different orientations and religion in the organization help the organization embrace diversity. The policies that support inclusivity promotes diversified environments that bear different views on gender, sexual orientation and multi-religion ideologies ( Steiger & Henry, 2020) . However, these differences cultivate the unique challenges of building an organizational culture that supports those divergences. In successful creation of an interactive corporate culture, specific competencies are necessary. These could be not only the confessions or customs of other religions but also other subtle skills such as emotional intelligence, respect, acceptance, inclusivity, and openness to the issue of gender and sexual orientation in workplaces. Employees will be equipped or educated with skills and competencies to help them embrace organization diversification.
Conclusion
The exceptional influence of religion and sexual orientation is among one of the most researched concepts. It is because they influence the behavior of members as well as the general performance of the organization. The external forces within an organization are crucial in shaping the internal culture of an organization. Although they change with time, external factors such as beliefs 4remain as one of the culture-producing factors in an organization. Thus, if the internal and the external aspects of employees do not conform with organizational culture, the company is at high risk of realizing its corporate objectives.
References
Alas, R., & Mousa, M. (2016). Organizational culture and workplace spirituality. International journal of emerging research in management and technology , 5 (3), 285-314.
Steiger, R. L., & Henry, P. J. (2020). LGBT workplace protections as an extension of the protected class framework. Law and Human Behavior , 44 (4), 251.
