Engaging in religious activities during working hours in Ghana: a case study of Berekum municipality in the Bono region

Abstract

Religious beliefs influence how people perceive and practice their work; hence the blending of religion and work ethic is intertwined. The main purpose of this study was to examine use of work hours for religious activities by workers and assess its impact on their productivity, profitability, sustainability, and the survival of the institutions in which they work. The study is a purely qualitative in nature. Simple random sampling was used to select 50 research participants for the study. Semi-structured interview and observation were the tools used to gather data for the study. The study revealed workers carry religion to the workplace by engaging in various religious activities during working hours. The findings indicated that religious engagements during working hours could pose undue hardships on the business and negatively impacts work output and performance. Also, workers engage in religious activities at workplaces because of the benefits they derive from such activities. The study, in view of this, concluded that despite the negative impact associated with the use of working hours for religious activities, the Berekum workers will prefer to use their time to seek and receive the attention and blessings of the benevolent spirits so that they can always be in good health throughout their lives. The study, therefore, recommended that strict monitoring of workers is needed to regulate religious activities or engagements at the workplace. Working time and rules regulating work must be used positively in order to be in good relationship at both vertical and horizontal levels of life.