Practising religion or having certain beliefs cannot be separated from one’s professional life, as doctrine shapes who a person is, it was said on the Diversity and Inclusivity Finance Forum (DIFF) podcast.
Andy Walton, protection proposition director at Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), said being a Christian was a big part of his life and had a huge impact on him. Walton goes to a church group meeting every week, runs ‘Learn to Read the Bible Effectively’ seminars at schools, runs a website and has overseen youth groups in the past.
He added: “There’s almost always, in my life, something going on every single solitary day in relation to it, outside of work time.
“It’s a massive, massive part of my life.”
Gurpreet Chahal, corporate account manager at Accord Mortgages, said he was not a baptised Sikh and did not grow his hair long or wear a turban, but he did believe in Waheguru, the Sikh word for God.
He said for anyone who was religious, their life would be “shaped by teachings” to an extent.
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As for the part it plays in his daily routine, Chahal said: “I try to visit the gurdwara – which is the name for the Sikh temple – as much as I can.”
How religious beliefs influence professional behaviours
Chahal said there were five core principles that shaped Sikhism, the first being seva/sewa, which is selfless service. In a work context, he said this could look like “encouraging teamwork”, “a culture of working together, collaborating” and “volunteering”.
The second, Kirat Kharna, means an honest living, which can be interpreted as “doing true work, holding ethical practices within work, having that transparency and integrity”.
The third principle, Sarbat da bhala, means welfare for all and equality, and Chahal said taking part in the DIFF podcast was an example of this, as well as “promoting diversity and equality and inclusion in the workplace”.
Chahal said the fourth principle, Chardi kala – which means having a positive spirit – meant he could use his religion to reflect during challenging times at work and remember his fortunes.
He said the fifth principle, Naam Japna – which is to think about God and meditate – helped from a mindfulness perspective, as it reminded him to take time to reduce stress when it gets busy at work.
Walton said his faith also influenced his work, adding: “Christianity gives you a different perspective, it’s not always about the here and now. You’ve got a hope for the future, which perhaps is different without God or without religion in your life.”
He said there were two pillars of Christianity: love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbour as you love yourself, which is defined in the Bible as being “kind”, “generous” and “patient” and “not remembering somebody’s wrongs, not holding grudges”.
“Therefore, if I’m trying to act like Jesus, effectively, that’s what… you’re trying to do,” Walton.
He also said many of the Sikh principles were relatable to him.
Walton said he often wondered what kind of person he would be without his faith, adding: “My belief has changed my personality. I think I would be different.
“The whole time it’s running through your mind: ‘How would Jesus act in this scenario?’… and if I’ve done something that I think isn’t how he would… it tends to get in your mind,” Walton said.
Practising faith openly
Walton said he did not tend to speak about his faith at work unless he was asked, adding: “Generally speaking, a lot of people will know within MAB [that] I’m a Christian, I think, but how many have I actually sat down and spoken to? Not very many”.
He said if people did not want to have that conversation, he did not want to bring it up to avoid feeling like he was pushing his beliefs on them.
“We’ve all got free will and we all believe what we want to believe, and some have got no belief at all. That’s the beauty of the world in which we live,” Walton added, saying he was still happy to answer questions about his faith.
Chahal said he was similar and had a “reactive rather than proactive” approach to speaking about his faith. He said he kept these conversations at a “high level” and would only go into depth if genuine interest was shown.
He said people might be apprehensive to question him due to being nervous about saying the wrong thing, which he felt suggested there needed to be an environment that made people comfortable to ask questions with good intentions.
Walton said even with the podcast, the only reason he agreed to speak about his religion was because he was asked.
Chahal agreed, saying religion did not often come up at industry events, while Walton said people who were religious might not want to discuss it for fear of being ridiculed, adding: “That’s sad if that’s the case”.
When asked if people’s possible reactions to their faiths held them back from speaking about religion, Walton said there was a feeling that people who believed in God and read the Bible “haven’t really got up to speed” with the rest of the world. He said nobody said this outright, but it was the impression he got.
Chahal said because he did not wear religious clothing and Sikhism is a younger, lesser-known religion that was formed in 1699, people assumed he was a Muslim. He said this perception was not malicious but came from a place of misunderstanding.
Regarding people who do know more about Sikhism, Chahal still being on a journey with his faith meant he sometimes got judgmental comments about his lifestyle.
Accommodating different beliefs
Chahal said employers could support colleagues by creating quiet places so they could pray or take time out, giving them that option without having to declare it.
He said companies could also recognise other religious holidays and allow colleagues time off for them or be careful when organising events around holy days.
Walton said in a professional sector like financial services, most businesses were respectful, but more could probably be done, especially at work events when realising people may enjoy themselves but still want to practice self-control.
Listen to the full episode [38:09] hosted by Shekina Tuahene, deputy editor and commercial editor of Mortgage Solutions, with guests Andy Walton, protection proposition director at Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), and Gurpreet Chahal, corporate account manager at Accord Mortgages.
