Workplace Spirituality as an Antecedent of Meaningful Work: A Systematic Literature Review (2016–2026)

Abstract

In recent decades, research on meaningful work has gained increasing attention within the fields of organizational psychology and human resource management. Employees today seek not only financial compensation but also meaning, purpose, and value alignment in their work. One factor considered to foster meaningful work is workplace spirituality—an individual's experience of finding meaning in work, building connections with colleagues, and aligning personal values ​​with organizational values. This study conducted a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of research examining workplace spirituality as an antecedent to meaningful work between 2016 and 2026, adhering to PRISMA guidelines for the identification, screening, and analysis of articles. The review results indicate that workplace spirituality contributes to the formation of meaningful work through several key dimensions: sense of community, inner life, value alignment, self-transcendence, compassion, and mindfulness. Among these dimensions, sense of community and value alignment were the most consistently associated with the development of meaningful work. These findings underscore the importance of organizations creating work environments that support the development of workplace spirituality to enhance employees' perceptions of the meaningfulness of their work.
Keywords: workplace spirituality, meaningful work, meaning of work, work spirituality, systematic literature review