How can you support Muslim employees or coworkers who are fasting and observing Ramadan? Dr Safiyyah Ally, Executive producer of Let The Quran Speak shares some great advice to help managers and leaders foster an inclusive and productive workplace for everyone during this holy month.
Muslims are required to fast from dawn to sunset every single day in the month of Ramadan. This holy month (expected to begin on 10 March to approximately 10 April this year) isn’t just about fasting. Muslims are supposed to be on their best behaviour; lying, cheating, and gossiping are frowned upon at all times, but especially during Ramadan. Devout Muslims use the month as a spiritual reset to start fresh and work on becoming a better person.
What does this month mean for the employer? Fasting is physically and emotionally tough but it doesn’t mean Muslims can’t keep up with their work responsibilities. Muslims work in almost every profession – be they surgeons, teachers or construction workers, they continue to excel while fasting. Muslims who are fasting won’t eat during the usual lunchtime. Instead they’ll eat at sunset. And if they’re working night shifts, they’ll begin the fast by eating before dawn.
FASTING & WORSHIP TIMES
The timings are pretty specific and documented in widely accessible charts. Muslims watch the clock and won’t want to be too late or too early for either their dawn or sunset meal. They also engage in additional worship and reflection during this holy time; often very late at night. That combined with having to wake up in the late hours of the night to eat the meal that begins the fast means their sleep patterns are disrupted; and they may seem a little bit tired.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate with Eid al-Fitr. They will probably take a day off to be with their families. The date of this celebration depends on the sighting of a new moon, so it may not be clear to your Muslim employees until the day before, which day will be Eid. But since the month of Ramadan is either 29 or 30 days long they’ll know it’s one of two days.
SUPPORTING STAFF THROUGH RAMADAN
If you manage or work with people who are fasting this Ramadan, you may be wondering how best to support them to make them feel valued and respected. First learn about Ramadan. Read about what fasting involves. Know when the month is about to start. You can do that by Googling the start date, but keep in mind that some Muslims may begin on a different date depending on when their community sights the moon.
Communicate with your Muslim employees. Find out if they will be fasting. Even if they aren’t fasting, they may be engaging in intensified worship. Ask them what they need and how you can help. Keep in mind that not every Muslim will practice Islam the same way; and not everyone will be committed to practicing their faith. Be mindful that different people may need different accommodations.
Educate and inform. Let people at work know that their colleagues will be fasting. Give them a bit of information about what fasting involves. It’s not easy to fast all those hours. So let colleagues know to be understanding and lenient. Also be accommodating. There are many things to consider here and this may be a lot easier to accomplish during Covid when many people are working from home. Consider flexible start and finish times. People who are fasting get tired as the day progresses and their energy levels get depleted. They may also want to finish earlier to prepare the evening meal. Perhaps allowances could be made so they could start work early, or work during lunch hours in exchange for an earlier finish. If employees work in shifts, maybe they can swap shifts or change their working hours.
SCHEDULES, MEETINGS & EVENTS
Think about how you structure meetings and events. Your employees or coworkers may not object to attending working lunches, but it would be nice if they weren’t expected to participate. It’s perfectly fine for someone to eat in front of a fasting person. But if food is the highlight of the meeting they may feel a bit left out. Allow your employees to take a break at sunset to break their fast. And give them enough time to enjoy their meal and pray before resuming work.
Be mindful that Muslims may not want to commit to evening events, even if it’s online. Nights are precious, devoted to eating, prayer and online gatherings of the family and the community. They may also not be as interested in conferences or staff retreats, even if they’re virtual, if they mean extra hours at work, or too much social interaction. Time is precious and Ramadan goes by quickly. And devout Muslims will want to spend as much time as they can worshipping as it is a time to be quiet and reflect.
SPACE TO PRAY FOR REMOTE & OFFICE STAFF
If staff are coming into work and not working remotely, offer them space to pray and take a few minutes to be alone during the day. Even Muslims who don’t usually pray may become more devoted to their faith during Ramadan. So don’t be surprised if someone who doesn’t seem all that religious comes to you looking for a quiet corner to pray. Muslims may also be interested in scheduling vacation time during the last few nights of Ramadan, which are particularly holy. And don’t forget time off at the end of Ramadan so they can celebrate Eid. It’s a pretty big celebration after the difficult month of fasting.
Finally, there’s no need to make too big a deal about fasting. Yes, it’s tough, but for most Muslims it’s a rewarding experience. So show your happiness and appreciate the discipline and endurance they’re exercising. If you follow these tips you’ll be able to show your Muslim employees or coworkers that you respect and value them; and that you care about fostering an inclusive and productive workplace for all.
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