“Welcome home from Mecca”: Three small, powerful ways we can honor differences in the workplace.

I just came across this Facebook post: “I welcomed back a coworker who just returned from Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). As a Christian, it might not be popular to do so, but I think it says a lot to honor a person and their experiences.”

While the person posting the message was gracious to his coworker, he also believed this act of kindness would be unpopular!

As a leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Spirit Strategist, I look at the world through the lens of business, spirituality and technology. Social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to discover where these 3 topics intersect.

Has fear of the unknown stopped you from recognizing and appreciating your coworkers’ spiritual choices?

When we do this, we dismiss our human connection to each other and to Spirit by any name. Also, I encourage you to try not to judge one pilgrimage as more sacred than another. By all names, these are special times for each person to connect to what is sacred for him or her.

Hajj is the largest mass gathering in the world. Therefore, you may know a coworker who takes part in this annual pilgrimage to Mecca – or takes part in a pilgrimage, retreat, walkabout or sabbatical in another faith tradition.

Today’s workforce is composed of global citizens with a wide array of religious and spiritual beliefs. I invite you to remember our Oneness.

As a leader, how can you respect spiritual traditions in the workplace – and set an example for your team? Here are 3 ways:

• Extend a warm welcome to your employees and coworkers returning from a pilgrimage as you would welcome them home from any trip.

• Before a cultural or religious holiday of any type, send your employees holiday greetings. I’m inspired by how many of my global friends post messages on social media: Happy Diwali, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Canada Day and other cultural or religious traditions. And verbally offer holiday greetings. This brings a smile!

• Post an interfaith calendar in your company’s lunchroom or on a shared online calendar. This helps everyone be mindful that various holidays may not match their own traditions. When possible, plan meetings accordingly. Here’s a link for an interfaith calendar.

When we honor all faiths, we honor our one human family.

Have you had an experience with a coworker by honoring their faith tradition? Or has someone gone out of their way to honor yours? I’d welcome your stories at Holly@HollyDuckworth.com.