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Ramadan: Supporting colleagues who are fasting

March 30, 2023

Many colleagues who are Muslim and observe fasting during Ramadan, will participate in a daily period of fasting, starting at sunrise and finishing at sunset over the month. This means abstaining from food, drink (including water) and smoking. While fasting is an important part of Ramadan, it is also a time of self-reflection and self-evaluation for Muslims.

This year Ramadan commenced on Wednesday 22 March and is expected to last for 29-30 days.

Accommodating religious belief and practices during Ramadan is about being responsive to colleague needs. It does not necessarily mean extra time off; it is about offering flexibility around existing holiday entitlement, working patterns or break periods.

Be sure to check this video featuring Iman Salim Moolla to find out more about Ramadan.

Advice for line managers:

  1. Do not make assumptions about who in your team may be observing Ramadan – Islam is a faith that welcomes people of all races and backgrounds.
  2. Observing Ramadan may not be noticeable so make it easy for your team members to let you know if they are fasting.
  3. If you manage a colleague who will be observing Ramadan, ensure you have some one-to-one time to discuss any workplace adjustments that can be considered.
  4. Fasting can affect people in different ways (for example, some people may understandably become a little quieter or slightly tired at times, even though most staff have fed back that their productivity increased after the first few days).
  5. Dignity and respect from managers and colleagues are helpful and expected. Be aware that fasting colleagues will not even be drinking any fluid (including water) and they may therefore feel less energetic and even less inclined to join in office conversations on occasions – don’t take it personally and ensure communication can be made in other ways where possible.
  6. Workplace adjustments should not impact negatively on patient care. Managers and their colleagues can discuss and consider options such as occasional working from home where appropriate to the role and individual circumstances, core hour working where time can be made up in lieu, and provision for paid and unpaid leave where viable. When Ramadan falls in the summer months it can be particularly challenging, as the days are longer.

For further details workplace consideration during Ramadan please click here.