Dying to Work: A Thematic Analysis of How Near-Death Experiences Affect Employees’ Work Lives
Jamie A. Gruman, Akierah D. Binns
Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion July 1, 2025 DOI: 10.51327/ukwd3742 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Working adults who had experienced a near-death experience |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | The authors report that interviews with 14 working adults who had NDEs yielded six themes describing how the experience affected their work lives: insights and new realizations, personal transformations, reprioritization of work, job changes, motivation, and changed relationships. They argue these themes illuminate factors that promote thriving careers for people with and without NDEs. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) refer to the experiences people have when they are close to death as a result of medical emergencies or accidents (Kelly et al., 2007). Such experiences often have life-changing effects referred to as aftereffects. However, there is virtually no research on NDE aftereffects in the context of work. In the present study, we interviewed 14 working adults to explore how an NDE affected their work lives. Using thematic analysis, we categorized the interview data into six themes: insights and new realizations, personal transformations, reprioritization of work, job changes, motivation, and changed relationships. These themes offer conceptual and practical insights into the factors that promote thriving careers, which apply to those who have had NDEs and, importantly, also those who have not. Recommendations for future research are proposed.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualitative thematic analysis of the phenomenology of near-death experiences Cardiac arrest survivors | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 34 |
| Do Suicide Survivors Report Near-Death Experiences? Persons who had been close to death as a result of a suicide attempt | 1982 | Qualitative study | n = 36 |
| The evolving self: finding meaning in near-death experiences using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Female participants who had near-death experiences | 2008 | Qualitative study | n = 3 |
| Investigation of the phenomenology, physiology and impact of spiritually transformative experiences - kundalini awakening. Persons having a spiritually transformative experience (e.g., spontaneous energetic... | 2021 | Qualitative study | |
| Near-death experiences and religion: A further investigation Near-death experiencers | 1984 | Qualitative study | n = 40 |