Research Institute of Hawzah and University; "Hawzah wa Dāneshgāh Research Institute" Journal of Studies in Religion, Spirituality & Management 2981-1171 12 24 2025 06 22 Applying Bibliometric Analysis to Examine and Identify Trends of Organizational Spirituality’s Impact on Employee Engagement Applying Bibliometric Analysis to Examine and Identify Trends of Organizational Spirituality’s Impact on Employee Engagement 65 94 2365 10.30471/rsm.2025.10771.1443 FA Abdolhossein Neisi Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 0000-0003-0642-9337 Hoda Mohsenifard PhD Candidate, Management Program, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran 0000-0004-5686-6537 Journal Article 2025 02 12 <strong>Extended Abstract </strong><br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Introduction and Objectives:</strong> Spirituality, as a fundamental aspect of human life, influences not only individual and social behaviors but also plays a key role in shaping social values and norms (Khalili et al., 2023). Within organizational settings, spirituality can serve as a source of motivation and social support for employees (Dick et al., 2024). Studies have shown that spirituality enhances employees’ sense of belonging and security (Ghanbari & Abdolmaleki, 2022), which in turn promotes morale and organizational commitment (Clark, Lewis, & Chrisman, 2022). In organizations that respect religious diversity, employees experience greater inclusion, strengthening team cohesion and encouraging active participation in decision-making processes (Azad-Marzabadi et al., 2022). Examining the impact of spirituality on employee engagement thus provides deeper insights into spirituality as a workplace factor (Day, 2022) and assists managers in designing effective strategies to enhance motivation and organizational interactions (Beikzad et al., 2021). Despite extensive research on spirituality and organizational behavior, a precise understanding of its relationship with employee engagement remains limited (Benefiel, 2022). Spirituality can significantly influence employee motivation and commitment (Koburtay, 2023), yet the question arises: can organizations improve engagement while accommodating religious diversity? (Duffy et al., 2023). This ambiguity may hinder organizational potential and negatively affect organizational culture. The objectives of this study are to:<br /><br />a) Identify and review scholarly outputs on the impact of spirituality on employee engagement;<br />b) Examine research trends in this field over time;<br />c) Identify key themes and patterns regarding spirituality’s impact on engagement;<br />d) Explore research gaps and opportunities in the study of spirituality and employee engagement.<br /><br /><strong>Methodology:</strong> This study employs a bibliometric approach. Researchers systematically reviewed the literature to identify synonyms for the two main keywords, “spirituality” and “employee engagement,” and designed a search strategy considering correct spelling and Boolean operators (quotation marks and parentheses) to retrieve relevant sources. Data were extracted from the Scopus database on November 19, 2024. Scopus is widely recognized for bibliometric analysis due to its comprehensive indexing of high-quality scholarly journals (Mongeon & Paul -Hus 2016) and ensures accuracy and credibility (Gerritsen et al., 2021). Initially, 91 articles were identified; after filtering for business and management publications, English language, and the 1989–2024 timeframe, 70 articles remained (Table 1). Data analysis utilized software tools including R Studio (bibliometrix package), VOS viewer, Citespace, Gephi, BibExcel, and HistCite (Ampa et al., 2021). The bibliometrix 2.4 package in R facilitated advanced statistical analysis and the creation of supplementary visualizations, while VOSviewer generated network maps (Lin et al., 2024). Analyses included co-word analysis to identify conceptual relationships and network analysis to uncover thematic patterns and research trends regarding spirituality’s influence on employee engagement. This comprehensive approach provides a clear picture of the current scholarly landscape and research developments.<br /><strong>Results:</strong><br /><br />a) Spirituality is increasingly recognized as a key factor in enhancing employee engagement and is becoming a core organizational component;<br />b) Research on spirituality and employee engagement is steadily increasing;<br />c) Scholars acknowledge the importance of spirituality in improving employee morale and strengthening organizational relationships;<br />d) Reviewed journals emphasize the connection between spirituality, organizational ethics, and organizational culture.<br /><br /><strong>Discussion and Conclusion:</strong> This study examines the influence of spirituality on employee engagement in workplace settings. Bibliometric analysis highlights key concepts, research trends, and existing gaps in the literature. Authors publishing in high-impact journals such as Journal of Business Ethics and Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion have contributed significantly to promoting awareness of workplace spirituality. These journals emphasize the linkage between spirituality, organizational ethics, and culture, underscoring spirituality’s role in enhancing employee relationships and organizational behavior. The findings also indicate that spirituality—particularly through spiritual leadership—can substantially boost intrinsic motivation and foster a supportive, spiritually enriched environment, thereby increasing employee participation in organizational processes. This aligns with prior research (Fry, 2023) highlighting spiritual leadership as a driver of employee commitment and engagement. Additionally, international collaboration in spirituality research is notable, with 14.27% of publications involving cross-country cooperation, reflecting the global relevance of workplace spirituality.<br /><strong>Acknowledgements: </strong>The authors sincerely thank all journal staff for their timely review and constructive feedback, with special appreciation to the editor-in-chief. <strong>Extended Abstract </strong><br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Introduction and Objectives:</strong> Spirituality, as a fundamental aspect of human life, influences not only individual and social behaviors but also plays a key role in shaping social values and norms (Khalili et al., 2023). Within organizational settings, spirituality can serve as a source of motivation and social support for employees (Dick et al., 2024). Studies have shown that spirituality enhances employees’ sense of belonging and security (Ghanbari & Abdolmaleki, 2022), which in turn promotes morale and organizational commitment (Clark, Lewis, & Chrisman, 2022). In organizations that respect religious diversity, employees experience greater inclusion, strengthening team cohesion and encouraging active participation in decision-making processes (Azad-Marzabadi et al., 2022). Examining the impact of spirituality on employee engagement thus provides deeper insights into spirituality as a workplace factor (Day, 2022) and assists managers in designing effective strategies to enhance motivation and organizational interactions (Beikzad et al., 2021). Despite extensive research on spirituality and organizational behavior, a precise understanding of its relationship with employee engagement remains limited (Benefiel, 2022). Spirituality can significantly influence employee motivation and commitment (Koburtay, 2023), yet the question arises: can organizations improve engagement while accommodating religious diversity? (Duffy et al., 2023). This ambiguity may hinder organizational potential and negatively affect organizational culture. The objectives of this study are to:<br /><br />a) Identify and review scholarly outputs on the impact of spirituality on employee engagement;<br />b) Examine research trends in this field over time;<br />c) Identify key themes and patterns regarding spirituality’s impact on engagement;<br />d) Explore research gaps and opportunities in the study of spirituality and employee engagement.<br /><br /><strong>Methodology:</strong> This study employs a bibliometric approach. Researchers systematically reviewed the literature to identify synonyms for the two main keywords, “spirituality” and “employee engagement,” and designed a search strategy considering correct spelling and Boolean operators (quotation marks and parentheses) to retrieve relevant sources. Data were extracted from the Scopus database on November 19, 2024. Scopus is widely recognized for bibliometric analysis due to its comprehensive indexing of high-quality scholarly journals (Mongeon & Paul -Hus 2016) and ensures accuracy and credibility (Gerritsen et al., 2021). Initially, 91 articles were identified; after filtering for business and management publications, English language, and the 1989–2024 timeframe, 70 articles remained (Table 1). Data analysis utilized software tools including R Studio (bibliometrix package), VOS viewer, Citespace, Gephi, BibExcel, and HistCite (Ampa et al., 2021). The bibliometrix 2.4 package in R facilitated advanced statistical analysis and the creation of supplementary visualizations, while VOSviewer generated network maps (Lin et al., 2024). Analyses included co-word analysis to identify conceptual relationships and network analysis to uncover thematic patterns and research trends regarding spirituality’s influence on employee engagement. This comprehensive approach provides a clear picture of the current scholarly landscape and research developments.<br /><strong>Results:</strong><br /><br />a) Spirituality is increasingly recognized as a key factor in enhancing employee engagement and is becoming a core organizational component;<br />b) Research on spirituality and employee engagement is steadily increasing;<br />c) Scholars acknowledge the importance of spirituality in improving employee morale and strengthening organizational relationships;<br />d) Reviewed journals emphasize the connection between spirituality, organizational ethics, and organizational culture.<br /><br /><strong>Discussion and Conclusion:</strong> This study examines the influence of spirituality on employee engagement in workplace settings. Bibliometric analysis highlights key concepts, research trends, and existing gaps in the literature. Authors publishing in high-impact journals such as Journal of Business Ethics and Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion have contributed significantly to promoting awareness of workplace spirituality. These journals emphasize the linkage between spirituality, organizational ethics, and culture, underscoring spirituality’s role in enhancing employee relationships and organizational behavior. The findings also indicate that spirituality—particularly through spiritual leadership—can substantially boost intrinsic motivation and foster a supportive, spiritually enriched environment, thereby increasing employee participation in organizational processes. This aligns with prior research (Fry, 2023) highlighting spiritual leadership as a driver of employee commitment and engagement. Additionally, international collaboration in spirituality research is notable, with 14.27% of publications involving cross-country cooperation, reflecting the global relevance of workplace spirituality.<br /><strong>Acknowledgements: </strong>The authors sincerely thank all journal staff for their timely review and constructive feedback, with special appreciation to the editor-in-chief. https://rsm.rihu.ac.ir/article_2365_b287bcc17da427ae3e40e95bdd1484a3.pdf