5 Ways to Accommodate Muslims in the Workplace

Muslims make up almost 2 billion people globally. 

In Britain, they contribute at least £20 billion to the economy every year and the population is growing fast. 

The Muslim population in the UK is set to triple in 30 years, rising from 4.1m in 2016 to 13m in 2050.

In London alone, the Muslim population makes up 12.5% of the city's people.

Similar growth is expected across Europe and North America. 

They also form an integral part of the workforce: from doctors and nurses, scientists, politicians, sports stars, teachers, lawyers and so on. 

The majority of people reading this would have encountered or directly worked with a Muslim before.

As we work towards more equitable work environments and with more and more Muslims entering the workplace, what can you do to ensure you are remaining inclusive, accommodating and compassionate with your Muslim colleagues? 🧐

1. Prayer 

Muslims pray 5 times a day, spread through sunrise to nighttime - the prayers last no longer than 5 minutes each. 

Naturally, some of these prayers will fall within office hours.

So ensure you can accommodate at least one room, even if it’s small room (we're not a fussy bunch), perhaps called a Wellness/Multifaith room, if that's preferable, where Muslims can have a few moments of silence. 

2. Friday lunch

Another biggie for Muslims is the Friday prayer, known as Jummah, which is an obligatory congregational prayer for men in the Mosque. 

It tends to last a maximum of 1 hour, this can sometimes cause problems with running over lunch hours by a few minutes. While most Muslims can navigate the timings and find Mosques where it doesn’t clash with lunch hours, once in a while it may be tricky.

Have an open conversation with your Muslim colleague to find out how they can work this in within their lunch break.

3. Avoid hugging or kiss when greeting 

While the vast majority of Muslims don’t have issues with shaking hands with the opposite sex, some will find it a little awkward to hug and receive a peck on the cheek when greeting. 

The lack of physical contact is not meant to be disrespectful, it just Muslims have certain gender boundaries within the faith.

Different Muslims will have different comfort zones.

Keep it to a safe handshake unless expressed otherwise 🤝

4. Think about food 

Most Muslims will only eat meat if it’s halal, ie sacrificed in a religious manner - halal meat is pretty easy to get hold of these days. But at the very least, prepare vegetarian/vegan/fish dishes, halal meat is a bonus! 😋

5. Ramadan 

The holy month is only 4 months away!

Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset. In summer months, this can be up 18-19 hours. 😯

It’s difficult. If you notice a Muslim a little tired at work or feeling under the weather, ask how they are and see if they need any support. 🙏🏽

Conclusion

We all believe in diversity, inclusion and being compassionate to everyone at the workplace.

While some strides have been taken to factor in the various types of people at work, there is still a lot more we can do.

Indeed, not just for Muslims, but for everyone: BAME, the elderly, the young as well as people of all faiths.

Muslims, sadly, have faced the brunt of many negative headlines over the past 20 years.

We've been targetted by unfair policies, tragic events and many of us from Asian and Black backgrounds have suffered racism.

Joining a workplace that accepts you for who you are, offers support and encouragement and understands your beliefs and behaviours, is a sure way to bring out the best in your Muslim employees.

I hope you learned something. Comment below with your thoughts on accommodating diversity within the workplace.

(Disclaimer: these do not apply to 100% of Muslims, some interpret and practice their faith differently, but this is general guidance).