Does person–organization spirituality fit stimulate ethical and spiritual leaders: an empirical study in Jordan

Abstract

Purpose: This paper emphasizes the theoretical relevance that workplace spirituality may add to the person–organization (P-O) fit theory through the examination of a framework that comprises how workplace and self-spirituality fit enhances the perceived P-O spirituality fit. A related aim is to test how the perceived P-O spirituality fit enhances both employees' ethical and spiritual leadership behavior. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using a quantitative study of 132 employees across various organizations in Jordan. Data were firstly checked by the use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability tests. Hypotheses have been tested by the use of hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Findings: In line with the hypotheses, the study's results exhibited that workplace and self-spirituality fit positively enhances the perceived P-O spirituality fit. The results also show that the perceived P-O spirituality fit enhances both employees' ethical and spiritual leadership behaviors. Practical implications: The present study warrants several practices for human resource management (HRM), policy and development. It suggests that HRM practices should encourage a more “spiritual– and ethical-friendly” environment by ensuring that staffing and other HRM responsibilities are clearly committed to ethics and supportive of spirituality. Specifically, within performance appraisal policies, HR managers may include specific policies and ethical action targets to promote more ethical behaviors. There may be regular monitoring to track the trajectory of the HRM practices in this regard. Originality/value: The contribution of this paper extends beyond the vast literature on P-O fit with the generation of a new concept (i.e. P-O spirituality fit) to the literature in a Muslim-majority country. This offers reinvigorated awareness of the topic under study and suggests specific future research directions.