We’re over two weeks into Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (a lunar calendar). Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast, beginning before sunrise and ending at sunset. But it’s not just about abstaining from food and drink; Ramadan is also a time of increased prayer, charity, introspection and learning.
In the workplace, “the biggest challenges that come with Ramadan are: not being understood, feeling out of place and being discriminated against for your beliefs. That, alongside being tired, lacking focus and having low energy due to fasting, causes ‘The Ramadan Effect’ — this is when Muslims feel unsupported and excluded from their workplace,” says Arfah Farooq, cofounder of Muslamic Makers, a community of Muslims in the creative and technology industries.
So, with roughly two weeks to go and as Ramadan gets more challenging due to the compounding effect of fasting and lack of sleep, how can you support colleagues? We spoke to founders and operators in our Startup Life newsletter to get their top tips.
“Make an effort to explain to the wider team what Ramadan is,” says Murvah Iqbal, founder of parcel delivery service Hived
A lot of people don’t know what Ramadan is and what it entails. Get your HR team to give context on the month. Get them to explain what fasting means and what your colleagues will be doing and abstaining from, to avoid the usual “You’re not even allowed water?!” question.
Giving your team context will make them more sympathetic to their colleagues' practices. It will also make them conscious of when they’re putting in meeting times. Allow flexible working to fit around people who are fasting. People are operating on broken sleeping schedules, so giving them some flexibility can ensure better output at work. Be explicit about the flexible working options available. Can you give them Fridays (even half days) off? Can meetings start later or finish earlier? Do they have to be at after work events? At Hived, we have a hybrid policy as standard and allow a bit more extra flexibility for people who are fasting.
“Adjust your events,” says Gurvir Riyat, founder and CEO of Bae HQ, a platform for British Asian entrepreneurs
To make events accessible, it's important to consider those observing Ramadan. It’s not enough to say that all events in this month are ‘optional’ to attend — Muslim colleagues could miss out on valuable access to knowledge or information. A few small adjustments can help those observing Ramadan to feel comfortable. If you have a fireside chat or panel, ensure timings don’t clash with sundown — either start later or have a break at that time so people can break their fast and pray. Ensure there’s food — if you have dates available, that’s a bonus — and non-alcoholic beverages, including water, to hand. Have a space where people can go and pray. At the beginning of the event and in your marketing, make sure all of this is made clear so people don’t feel awkward. This is often the difference between someone attending or not. For panellists, ask them if there's anything specifically they need.
Importantly, avoid assumptions and engage in dialogue with your team or community to alert you to any blind spots in your planning.
“Don’t ask people if they’re fasting,” says Uzma Rafiq, fractional CMO
No one should ever feel pressured to explain why they are or aren’t fasting, as it can be very personal, so focus your questions on how the month, in general, is going. Let them volunteer the information, if they want.
Ramadan is about more than the physical aspects of abstaining from food and drink — even though that part gets the most airtime — it’s also a time for reflection, generosity and supporting others. Every healthy Muslim can participate in Ramadan, however fasting is not something that is ever forced on anyone. There are a number of reasons why people might not be fasting and are exempt from doing so: factors like travel and physically demanding work, or personal circumstances like pregnancy, breastfeeding, health conditions, medication and menstruation may mean someone is not fasting.
“Create moments for celebration,” says Abi Mohamed, head of community at Diversity VC
This is a great time to bring people together, like we do with Christmas and summer get-togethers. Putting on company-wide Iftars — the meal when you break your fast at sundown — creates space for inclusion and gives non-Muslims an insight into a different culture and practice. Also, celebrate the end of Ramadan, known as Eid Al-Fitr, with your team. Whether it’s a gathering or a company-wide email wishing your colleagues well, this creates a sense of community and inclusion.
An important thing to note is that Muslims are not a monolith. Much of the rituals or traditions you might be aware of tend to be from South Asian cultures, as they make up the majority of Muslims in the UK. But other communities have their own traditions. Ask your colleagues how they practice and celebrate and consider bringing food from across traditions to your celebrations.
On the subject of... Ramadan
1. Don’t just market to Muslims during Ramadan.
2. Show empathy, not pity. “The best bosses I’ve had didn’t tiptoe around it or treat me like I was fragile, but they did check in to see if any adjustments would help,” says Mariam Ahmed, founder of Menza.
3. What can HR do to support? This thread has some thoughts.
4. Do you have a religious holidays policy? Having one in place helps provide a growing team with clarity on holiday entitlement, flexibility and support available to them during religious occasions.
