The need for Jesus in Human Resources is real...
I'm gonna need all of my fellow disciples of Christ in HR to please stand up.
Firstly, apologies to those who keep track and read BISM blogs. I clocked off for December and didn’t put a placeholder explaining when I’d be back in the new year. I hope you all had a great festive period and new year with your loved ones. I spent mine with family and I have to say, Christmas 2023 was probably one of my favourites. It was relaxed, no “kitchen” pressure and I even managed to visit a local Baptist Church on Christmas day.
We’re now in a new year and most people are in “refresh and reset” mode. So am I with BISM. I had a little amateur “writer’s block” and set too much pressure on myself trying to be “spiritual” in every aspect. People have shared such kind words in my previous posts, so I told myself each blog must be better than the last. Which was taking away from the point of what God is doing with this blog. Pointing people towards the good, full and complete work of Christ on the cross. We’re supposed to be walking this journey together but I’ve pretty much been crawling for a ‘lil while.
So, we’re evolving with the go ahead from the Holy Spirit. I want you to feel you have somewhat of a fuller picture of me.
What does this BISM girlie do for a J.O.B?
I work in People & Culture (or Human Resources). I gained my undergraduate degree in this exact field, so I knew what I wanted to do from the outset. If you’re unfamiliar with HR, it’s the department of a business which focuses on the employees (workers) and protects the interests of the company by implementing strategies, which should in turn, sustain and grow the business. HR has such a wide-scope (HUGE in fact) and covers everything from payroll to company events. I’ve done a little bit of everything, so most businesses would refer to me as a “generalist”.
The grapple, the tussle, and the fuss
What is it to be a disciple of Christ and work in an unpredictable environment? It’s a grapple, a tussle and can be a fuss. If the last decade has taught me anything, the world is in desperation of kindness, acceptance and something good (it’s actually Someone good, but they ain’t ready for that conversation yet). People inherently want to talk and relate to others. Me being who God created me to be, I sense people’s feelings. The world refers to this as being an “empath” - I’ll tell you for free it’s the Holy Spirit (Galatians explains the fruits of the Holy Spirit – for me, these directly correlate to how Christ followers should interact with people). I find myself wanting to be the chosen person of trust – which can sometimes be to my own detriment. There’s a line of separation the Holy Spirit has been guiding me to draw, but it's a process.
So anyway.
I spend a lot of my time having conversations with employees and managers and over the years learned to read/work people out fairly quickly. HR is the department of humans - so I’ve seen the fullest spectrum of humans (the good, the quirky and the kinda… Bad). If someone is unhappy/concerned with a particular aspect of their working or personal lives, they’ll usually come to me (I wish people would come to HR with happy news more often). I have considered training to be a qualified counsellor to equip me for trauma dumping sessions I often find myself in (still TBC). This coupled with societal issues which always filter into the workplace… It’s a slippery slide. I don’t take my career lightly because it’s a position of impact and real responsibility. When I sit with God and think about my work over the years, I believe some of that responsibility was directly handed to me from Him. Being an actively listening ear, a place of real compassion and honesty, are attributes missing in a lot of workplaces.
The link to Christ (because there’s always one)
Over the last few months, I’ve been spending time in the Gospels (recently arrived in Luke). I’ve re-learned that Jesus is a real friend (not just because of classic Baptist Church ‘bops’) but I read for myself how good and pure He was towards people. People at their wits end with life. The most disenfranchised and socially inept. He was (and is) a real friend. He spent every bit of His time going from place to place; healing, delivering, restoring, comforting, teaching, preaching and feeding (literally and spiritually). Jesus is beauty personified – and what particularly struck me were the conversations He had with everyday folk. If you were someone in the Bible speaking with Jesus, there’s a 100% chance you were in a place of discontentment and disconnection.
Why do these conversations matter? Because I came to the realisation if Jesus wasn’t a carpenter and worked in HR (just humour me for one minute) He would have been the most controversial and disruptive HR Leader the world had ever seen.
Jesus’ ‘one to ones’ might have been Him telling people:
About their personal business (the woman at the well literally minding her own business in John 4)
Not to worry about the concerns of work (Mark 4:19)
To always do the right thing by their boss (Colossians 3:23)
Resign and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26)
Last one is cracking me up
Navigating the world of work as a believer in Jesus
There’s one answer but so many methods.
A monumental lesson I’ve learned at Church is to show up as someone who doesn’t have their faith questioned;
“I didn’t know you were a Christian?” – what did you think I was all this time? A tractor?
I’m not saying “prove” your faith by screaming “JESUS CHRIST IS LORD'' in every management meeting (I mean, yes it’s true, but pick your moments), however your actions, intent and integrity will naturally draw people to you, showing that you operate from a place far beyond what this world understands. It’s a real blessing to be able to cast ALL our burdens unto Jesus because He genuinely cares for us. People watching at work is real – and people watching Christians is even more real. Some of the watchers are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, and that was never the intention of our design (cue mental health issues such as depression and anxiety). So Christians, let’s take the opportunity to show up and show out – even when it’s hard.
My methods for navigating the world of work isn’t ground-breaking or innovative. I think it’s the basics – but these basics keep me from losing my absolute rag. Also, knowledge shared is knowledge gained (etc).
I break them down into 3’ish categories:
Separation: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance
Church: Community & fellowship
Prayer: Communication with God
The focus: Prayer
The one thing every workplace on the planet has in common is humans. By dint of this, we have to pray. During the most difficult times, prayer can provide comfort, deter evil and invite wisdom. We know we matter to God, but we sometimes forget so do the people around us.
Some of us have experienced the most traumatic events of our lives at work, mostly inflicted by people. In theory, work shouldn’t leave us with mental and/or physical scars - it’s a place of professionalism irrespective of industry - whether you’re in banking or retail. At the core of it, we’re just exchanging our labour for a wage or salary. It’s transactional and fortunately, I haven’t met anyone who has signed an employment contract, excited for potential aggravation they might face at work. The workplace is supposed to be a place of safety, hence the laws in place, prohibiting people from committing atrocities or conducting business in bad faith. Both still happen but I can’t help but think of God’s mercy. How many redundancies and business closures has He prevented? Has a company ever had a near miss hiring a toxic manager because a recruiter heard the voice of God? Were the first mandatory health and safety laws in the workplace established because someone received a vision from God? I’m curious about the near misses and good saves - because of God. But also, I’m happy for them to remain a mystery.
Philippians 4:6 tells us we need not be anxious about anything but pray about everything. Jesus Himself is clear in Mark (11:24) saying if we pray for something and believe we’ve received it, it’s ours. But I’ve learnt we have to watch out for our heart posture. Praying for a colleague who has upset or wronged you (outside of extreme circumstances of course) to resign or get fired isn't necessarily a prayer God will answer… Especially if it’s His will for you to demonstrate love in the most challenging of circumstances. Just let that marinate before you read on, friend.
Prayer list
Here’s a list you can save or screenshot. Let me know in the comments who and what else you pray for concerning work/your business:
Yourself: Because a lamp is to be placed on a table and not under a basket (Mark 5:15). We have no choice but to wear the complete and armour of God in a perpetually volatile world. What has God said about your position in the workplace? Are you in a position of inluence? A place to help someone?
Your manager: Because they usually face double the pressure you do - in addition to responsibilities outside of work.
Your team and/or subordinates: Pray for those who work alongside or under you. Managers, you’re responsible for more than just your team’s annual performance reviews. Both good and bad management have lasting impact. Let God’s wisdom help you fall into a category of positive influence.
Business owners & leaders: Same as point 2. They are also solely responsible for the financial wellbeing and sustainability of the business.
Investors (if applicable): Usually silent and unseen but yielding the most power financially. They are invested (literally and metaphorically) in the success of the business you work for. If things continually go south, their money is the first to be withdrawn - as well as dividends or interest which they are entitled to.
If your ‘investor’ is local or central government, I would suggest fasting (as we’re seeing a worrying reduction in funds from the most critical services).Your office: Especially if you are based in a building outside of your home. We often don’t realise spirits inhabit metropolitan cities (think financial districts). London for example has been mostly built on Freemasonry, so it's a tricky space to navigate spiritually.
Your commute: Your safety matters to God. We take for granted safe passage and getting from A to B unscathed. Thank God for what He’s done.
For my self-employed folk, some of the above can be applicable, but also include your clients/your self-funded work/IT equipment, your profits/income and pray for covering and patience in the run up to and during April (iykyk).
That’s all I’ve got for now, but I hope you’ve taken something away. I’m staying in and around the topic of Christianity in professional working life, so come back for my next post where I’ll go through my top HR tips (this is real insider trading secrets, so you’re going to want to subscribe!)
Ciao!