Our work also reveals what we believe in

A few days ago, the 1st of May was a day of celebration and activism, which once again put the spotlight on labour rights and the dignity of the people whose hard work sustains so many businesses.

However, this date should speak not only to workers, but also to employers, managers, and team leaders.

International Workers' Day has a difficult story behind it. For a long time, work meant accepting endless hours, miserable wages and poor conditions that left little time for life.

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Inspired by the Haymarket events in Chicago, the demand for the eight-hour working day gave a name to a basic requirement: work could no longer come before people’s health, family life and personal dignity.

Those of us who view business through the lens of the Christian faith do not need to look back to the 19th century to find an ethical foundation for work. The Bible spoke of justice, a fair wage, responsibility in the exercise of authority and respect for those who work long before that.

The Scriptures are not a business manual, but they do remind us that neither power, nor wealth, nor a position of authority entitle us to treat a person as a mere tool.

Colossians expresses this with an uncomfortable clarity for any era. It reminds those in authority that they must treat their staff with justice and fairness, knowing that they too have a Lord in heaven.

Ephesians emphasises a similar idea when it asks masters to stop threatening their servants and to remember that there is no favouritism before God. It is not modern business language, but the principle remains very relevant today. Those who lead are also accountable for how they lead.

A company must inevitably talk about costs, productivity and results. It would be naive to deny it, but we cannot view those who work there solely from that perspective.

Behind every paycheck there is a person, a family, a story and a dignity that should not depend on the position they hold.

It may seem obvious, but many business decisions suggest otherwise.

When we adjust salaries to the absolute minimum, when we view rest as a nuisance, when we normalise constant pressure, or when we demand commitment without offering recognition, dignity begins to fall short of profitability.

The Bible states that the worker is worthy of his wages. This is not just a nice phrase to remember just one day a year. It is a moral imperative.

Paying fairly should not be seen as a generous gesture, but as a basic obligation towards those who contribute their time, talent and effort.

Of course, a company needs to be viable. Without profitability, there is no business, but that truth cannot become an excuse for building companies that operate at the expense of people’s constant exhaustion. They may grow that way for a while, but they are unlikely to be healthy organisations.

That is where leadership needs to be scrutinised. Not in speeches about purpose, or fine words about teamwork.

It is put to the test in a paycheck, a schedule, a difficult conversation, an internal promotion, a correction, a painful departure, or in the way one listens to those without power within the organisation.

Leading from a Christian perspective does not mean filling the company with spiritual language, but rather exercising authority knowing that every decision affects real lives.

A leader not only manages resources, they also care for others, set high standards, provide support and correction, and are accountable to God for how they exercise their responsibilities.

Obviously, the Bible does not speak only to those in authority. Colossians calls on us to work wholeheartedly, not to be seen, but with a deeper sense of service. Yet those with greater power to make decisions also bear greater responsibility.

The Christian faith does not automatically make a company just. It is not enough for a business leader to have good intentions. Consistency is measured in concrete decisions, especially when those decisions come at a cost.

Ultimately, a company can claim to have many principles, but there is almost always a simpler way to test them: to observe how those who work there live their lives.

This article was produced for the Líderes Empresariales section of Protestante Digital, an initiative of the Gospel, Economy and Business (Tres-E) group in Spain.