Making Buddhism work @ work: the transformation of a religion into a seasoned ethical system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review Buddhism as a potential reform instrument in the workplace and discuss some obstacles in making that happen. Design/methodology/approach – By the use of literature review and interviews, Buddhism's establishment in the USA is reviewed, a brief overview of Buddhism in general is provided, Buddhism is considered within the light of the spirit at work discourse, and the current discourse on implementing Buddhist practices in the workplace is reviewed. Findings – It is found that Buddhist practices are becoming more widely accepted but the fact that they are called “Buddhist” practices may be a barrier in massive acceptance. Research limitations/implications – The information was gathered from literature and disputed by pro‐Buddhist individuals (monks and lay persons), which may leave room for some bias in view sharing. Practical implications – Buddhist practices, when perceived as ethical values, make perfect sense, and could help instigate a positive turnaround in general feelings about work and experiences at work. Originality/value – Buddhism has not been discussed broadly within the scope of management practices. While Buddhism is generally endorsed in this paper, the discourses here discussed present a realistic view on points of caution when considering promoting Buddhist values in work environments.