Faith-at-work movement going mainstream

First companies were encouraged to be family-friendly; today they are lauded for being gay-friendly. Now there are some advocating to break down that final office taboo: religion.

Encouraging faith-friendly companies is a natural step, some say, in a time when workers are feeling more comfortable about bringing their entire selves into the office. And it follows naturally from a general resurgence of interest in religion.

''People want to be treated holistically,'' said David Miller, director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and an assistant professor of business ethics who is speaking at Florida International University tonight about his book, God at Work. ``We talk about diversity and inclusion -- how can we look employees in the eye and say we're only interested in color of your skin or gender diversity?''

But the idea of workers bringing God into their 9-to-5 life is still somewhat taboo. And employment lawyers, who have noticed a rise of religious workplace litigation, caution that companies need to strike a careful balance between upholding civil rights and maintaining a comfortable work atmosphere for all.

Employment lawyers, workers and even religious clergy say there's no question that people wanting to incorporate their faith into their daily work lives is on the rise. Miller, a former international banker who is now an ordained minister, considers it a social movement.