Scholarly landscape of workplace spirituality: a bibliometric review

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on workplace spirituality from 1998 to 2024. By systematically examining key databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, the research identifies notable publication trends, highlights influential authors who have significantly contributed to the field, and pinpoints essential journals that serve as vital platforms for this discourse. Additionally, it explores the main themes that have emerged over time. A graphical mapping of the bibliographic data is developed using the Biblioshiny package in R-studio software, which produces graphical representations employing various bibliometric techniques, including co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence. This paper offers an overview and synthesis of the existing body of knowledge regarding workplace spirituality, shedding light on its development and providing valuable recommendations for future inquiries in organizational behaviour and management. While numerous exploratory, conceptual, and empirical studies on workplace spirituality have been conducted in human resource and business management, no comprehensive science mapping of the area has been attempted. Consequently, this study aims to elucidate trends in the research field by synthesizing knowledge structures. The results indicate that themes related to workplace spirituality have evolved over time and extend beyond the confines of organizational behaviour and human resource management. Topics such as leadership, climate, and mindfulness are closely aligned with workplace spirituality. Furthermore, themes like organizational citizenship behaviour, meaningful work, employee well-being, trust, psychological contracts, and motivation are explored in relation to workplace spirituality. Moving forward, the focus should be on conducting in-depth research on workplace spirituality to gain profound insights into how organizations can foster meaning, purpose, and ethical behaviour, ultimately enhancing both individual and organizational success.