An Examination of the Impact of Jesuit Tenets on Attitudes Toward Workforce Reduction

Pope-Bayne, Claudia

Dissertation

An Examination of the Impact of Jesuit Tenets on Attitudes Toward Workforce Reduction

Public Deposited

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact Jesuit tenets have on the attitudes of survivors of workforce reduction who were employed at Jesuit institutions of higher education during the early years of the COVID-19. The researcher interviewed seven current employees from five different Jesuit institutions to ascertain their feelings toward the tenets of magis (to do more), cura personalis (care for the whole person), and cura apostolica (care for the institution) and understand how each influenced their beliefs about workforce reduction. The research revealed that during the workforce reduction, cura personalis received greater privilege over cura apostolica because reduction in force was viewed as the elimination of people rather than the elimination of positions; employees of Jesuit institutions felt they were exploited in the name of cura apostolica and magis; and Jesuit tenets do not create heightened employment expectations associated with a psychological contract. Understanding Jesuit employees’ attitudes toward workforce reduction can shed light on the ability of buzzwords/tenets/credos within a corporate/educational/business culture to either strengthen or weaken said culture, especially during times of crisis such as one that is financial.

Last modified