Employees Losing Faith in Work, Finding a Higher Calling

CHICAGO, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The only thing harder than finding a job in this economy is finding one that you like, according to a recent survey that found only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their work. Now the team behind the hugely successful Alpha course hopes to help Christian business leaders losing faith in work ... to find a higher calling at work.

Planned for 16 cities in four regions throughout the U.S., Alpha's Workplace Faith Gatherings will kick off in Dallas, TX, on February 23, then will continue to Charleston, SC, on February 24. These half-day events will feature talks from top business leaders, including Lou Giuliano, former chairman and CEO, ITT Industries, and popular author and speaker Os Hillman, founder and executive director of Marketplace Leaders.

Topics will include "Leading From the Front: Living Out My Faith in the Workplace" and "How Do I Make This Work? Connecting and Growing With Other Christians in the Workplace."

"The Bible mentions work more than 800 times," explains Gerard Long, executive director for Alpha USA. "You're not supposed to turn off a switch when you leave church on Sunday. God wants to walk with us 24/7 in every area of our lives - especially our work."

Combining inspiration and practical application, these gatherings will help people to see work as a higher calling. Long adds, "As people catch a vision for what God wants them to do and be in the workplace, it ultimately benefits society - stronger marriages, increased productivity, more service at church and in the community."

During the Workplace Faith Gatherings, there will be many opportunities to network with other Christians in the marketplace. Additionally, participants can learn more about Alpha in the Workplace, a 15-session practical introduction to the Christian faith designed to fit with people's busy schedules.

Does connecting faith and work contribute to job satisfaction? Ask Brad Jeffery.

As vice president of his Chicago-based chemical company, Jeffery offered Alpha at Work as an option for his employees. The results?

"We'd tried every technique over the last 20 years - corporate retreats, open book management, flex-time programs. These are beneficial, but they aren't sustainable if you don't have the right attitude and culture," Jeffery explains.

He says that Alpha was a catalyst in "setting the tone for a culture that expanded the hearts of employees," leading to community outreach efforts such as growing a garden for a local soup kitchen, starting a youth mentoring program and holding a picnic for a local orphanage.

"As you impact people's hearts, it transforms into how they conduct themselves and helps them to be more satisfied at work," Jeffery says.

Thousands of businesspeople all over the world are attending Alpha in the Workplace. Corporate CEOs are holding sessions in their boardrooms. Factory workers are running courses in their cafeterias ... the options are unlimited.

More than 13 million people in 163 countries have attended one of Alpha's courses. To learn more, visit http://www.alphausa.org/workplacefaith.

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SOURCE Alpha USA