The American workplace is going through a spiritual awakening as executives look for ways to bring their faith into the office after a turbulent year, experts say.

Incorporating religious principles into business can create an ethical and spiritual atmosphere where integrity and honesty define corporate behavior, they say. The effect can be positive for these companies' financial health because they draw devoted workers and are often held in high regard by customers.

"I think there's been a renewed quest and a renewed openness for people of all different religious backgrounds to talk about God and spirituality in ways that aren't threatening," said David Miller, co-founder and president of The Avodah Institute in Princeton, N.J. "I think it's a whole different world now, and that's even before September II."

Avodah (www.avodahinstitute.com), from an ancient Hebrew word that means both "work" and "worship," shows corporate executives how to integrate faith into the workplace.

At Dallas-based Interstate Battery System of America Inc., the company's stated mission is 'To glorify God as we supply our customers worldwide with top 'quality, value-priced batteries, related electrical power-source products, and distribution services."

Interstate chairman Norm Miller is known for Christian business principles and often speaks to interested organizations around the country. "Norm's faith is at the heart of who he is, and he and his management team offer a ministry to interested Interstate employees through a Corporate Chaplain Department," according to a company biography.

SMART BUSINESS Spiritual principles in the workplace David Miller Lane Kramer

At Atlanta-based fast-food chain Chick-fil-A Inc., the company policy of closing all restaurants on Sunday has always been part of the chain's Christian emphasis.

The chain's founder and chairman, Truett Cathy, "sees no conflict between using biblical principles and applying those to the workplace," said Jerry Johnston, senior manager of public relations. "When you look at the numbers, it's hard to argue against that."

Chick-fil-A will surpass $1 billion in sales for the second year in a row and continue its streak of 34 years of sales growth, Mr. Johnston said.

The company has a low turnover rate and has retained a number of managers for more than 20 years.

While closing on Sunday may seem self-defeating, many customers are more likely to come back to a restaurant they feel cares about more than profit, he said.

"Certainly, business is competitive - we're probably in one of the most competitive areas of business - and we still get on a regular basis letters from customers that applaud the decision to close on Sundays," he said.

But Mr. Miller said that bringing your faith to work can create ethical dilemmas that may cost a company money."

What if a software developer, for instance, declined to accept a contract to create a program for selling pornographic material on the Internet? "I could say that I've got clean hands and I haven't done this unpleasant contract, but oh, by the way, I had to fire 100 people," he said.

"So I guess on the one hand, I do want to say that doing the right thing usually pays. But let's not be Pollyannaish, either. Sometimes there's a cost to doing the right thing."

Such dilemmas often make company managers hesitant to display their faith too overtly at the office.

"I think a lot of CEOs may have a desire to link their faith to what they do at work, but they don't necessarily know how to do that," said Lane Kramer, president and founder of The CEO Institute in Dallas. "They need to see some models of what does it practically mean to walk in the office Monday morning when you're running your monthly manager's meeting. How does that impact even the way you conduct your meeting, or the way you view your people?"

The CEO Institute (www.ceoinst.com) is a group of chief executive officers from a variety of faiths who meet once a month to discuss incorporating religious beliefs into their daily work routines.

Mr. Kramer said that while bringing one's faith to work should primarily be about wanting to live a more ethical life, a spiritual manager who practices his faith at work while acknowledging his employees' religious diversity can also boost employee morale and productivity.

"I think that when people come to work, yes there is the actual job that they have to do, the functional job that they have to do, but I think most people want to work for a company that stands for something beyond just making a buck," he said.