Hardy (Chapter 2) traces the theological evolution of Christian thought relative to work in God’s world
Dianna White
Liberty University
BUSI 750
Dr. Agada
Hardy (Chapter 2) traces the theological evolution of Christian thought relative to work in God’s world. Briefly delineate your understanding of Hardy’s thinking, as well as your personal response. Connect all of this to at least 3 HR-practice implications relative to employee engagement/retention and globalization (Valentine Chapters 5 and 16).
Hardy’s Thinking
Lee Hardy presents significant insights that link Christian thought to work. In chapter two, he differentiates work from an individual’s usual life. The author notes that vocation and work are two different things (Hardy, 1990). Although vocation is part of work, it has more meaning that is unrelated to work. Hardy’s conclusion about the distinction between work and vocation is mainly drawn from investigating western attitudes toward work which are entirely different. Western attitudes toward work can either be negative or positive. In addition, Hardy acknowledges that vocation is more about enjoying, being satisfied, and adopting a positive view of life at work (Hardy, 1990). It is through vocation that working people bear God’s image. People act as God’s agents by working and realizing satisfaction in work. They represent God in the world. This underscores the importance of creating a conducive workplace environment for employees to find work satisfying, fulfilling, and meaningful.
Personal Response
I believe Hardy creates the impression that God created humans as a reflection of His love. He allowed them to work to experience God’s love and live fulfilling lives. Everybody’s vocation is an avenue through which God invites them to experience love. People should thus ensure they create good working relationships with others to make work more meaningful and satisfying for themselves and colleagues. I further understand that our professions may not always be our vocations. In such cases, people need to find alternative ways to experience vocation. This is the only way we can generate satisfaction and enjoyment in life as well as experience God’s love. For instance, one can engage in serving others when not at work if they find it fulfilling. I also believe that Hardy’s thinking greatly impacts organizational leaders, managers, and human resources departments. They must create workplace programs that make work more satisfying for the workers. It is the only way to help workers realize a vocational experience.
Connection HR-Practice Implications
Hardy’s thinking contains significant HR-practice implications related to employee engagement/retention and globalization. One, the assertions cite the importance of workplace motivation. As Nawaz et al. (2018) noted, workplace motivation results in positive work culture as well as a good organizational climate. This, in turn, increases employee engagement and productivity. Highly motivated employees realize positive outcomes like improved morale and satisfaction, which all make up the vocation experience (Valentine et al., 2019). In this sense, HR managers must embrace behaviors like recognizing positive attitudes, investing in employee training, and providing constant feedback to boost worker motivation.
The other implication regards the necessity to retain talent. Based on Hardy’s thinking, workers will leave positions that do not create a vocational experience (Hardy, 1990). This means that attracting and retaining the best talents requires the HR team to make the workplace enjoyable (Wood et al., 2020). They must ensure that employees experience God’s love and affection. It involves instituting measures that make the workplace a holistic place where employees can experience love, care, satisfaction, and the nourishment of their spirituality (Valentine et al., 2019).
Finally, Hardy’s thinking underscores the significance of work-life balance. This concept is a global HR trend that prioritizes the demands of an individual’s personal life and the demands of their career (Wood et al., 2020). HR practitioners must help workers achieve this balance by offering flexible and remote working, encouraging breaks, and reconsidering time off (Valentine et al., 2019). Employees should take a proactive role by finding jobs they love, prioritizing their health, taking vacations, and setting boundaries between work and personal life.
References
Hardy, L. (1990). The fabric of this world: Inquiries into calling, career choice, and the design of human work. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
Nawaz, M., Abid, G., Arya, B., Bhatti, G. A., &Farooqi, S. (2020). Understanding employee thriving: The role of workplace context, personality and individual resources. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 31(11-12), 1345-1362. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2018.1482209
Valentine, S., Meglich, P., Mathis, R., & Jackson, J. (2019). Human resource management (16th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Wood, J., Oh, J., Park, J., & Kim, W. (2020). The relationship between work engagement and work-life balance in organizations: A review of the empirical research. Human Resource Development Review, 19(3), 240-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484320917560
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