Fifteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

In the workplace environment, employees are exposed to many dangers putting their physical and psychological integrity under direct threat: workplace injuries/illnesses, excessive workload, limited decisional agency, lack of support and recognition, unfair treatment, incivility, harassment, violence, job insecurity, etc. Laws and organizational policies have been developed and implemented to alleviate these threats and risks. This approach remains however limited insofar as it only addresses these issues and concerns in a purely external, formal and deontological manner. Drawing from and integrating the inputs of workplace spirituality and virtue ethics, this paper offers a complementary perspective through the analysis of the virtue of tactfulness considered in its social, moral, prudential and daimonic dimensions. The study also invokes the spiritual theology of Pope Francis who, following the words and deeds of Jesus Christ, advocates for a preferential option for the poor, vulnerable and oppressed, whose humanity in need operates as paradigm for spiritual formation and practice (cf. the parable of the Good Samaritan; Luke 10:29-37). The tactful person with fully formed moral character and agency naturally recognizes and respects the dignity of, and strives to bring assistance to, vulnerable persons. In the workplace, the tactful person will not hesitate to transcend rules of propriety in order to be able to respond in ways adapted to the particularities of the situations encountered and the uniqueness of employees whose dignity deserves protection.