In this insight, we look at what possible impacts fasting during Ramadan can have on employees, and how teams can best support those who are participating in this fast.
What is Ramadan and why do Muslims fast?
Ramadan falls on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar calendar, the Islamic months fall 10 days earlier each Gregorian year. This year Ramadan is anticipated to fall on the evening of 19 February (with the possible variation of a few days) and will last for 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the crescent moon.
Ramadan is one of the most important months for Muslims as they participate in fasting for a period of 29 or 30 days. This is a significant month as it is an increased time for spirituality and Muslims aim to deepen their spiritual connection with God by performing prayers, reading the Qur’an, observing the fasts and aim to increase their Islamic knowledge – as well as spending time with friends, family and in the community helping.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan forms part of the five pillars of Islam and is considered an obligatory practice among healthy adult Muslims who are of sound mind and temperament. Fasting is observed by abstaining from (among other things) eating and drinking between dawn and dusk. There are several exceptions to this, with those who are ill, menstruating, pregnant or travelling being under no obligation to fast.
The duration of the fast varies across the globe, as the length of a fast depends on the daylight hours of each country. For example, Muslims in the UK will take their first meal at around 4:30am, and they will fast until sunset which is expected to fall around 6:45pm. However, as daylight saving hours will fall within Ramadan, the length of the fast increases with each day.
How will fasting impact employees?
Fasting can often impact an employee’s physical and mental performance (for the first few days anyway). A report from the Muslim Census Team found that Muslim employees are twice as likely to stay with employers who are supportive during Ramadan and therefore it is always good to have open communication about any possible adjustments.
What can employers do to help employees partaking in Ramadan?
Helping employees who observe fasting can be as simple as just being mindful of how long a meeting is diarised for, and at what times, as a 30-minute meeting may be more manageable in terms of concentration, compared to a 60-minute meeting at 9am for an employee who is fasting.
Allowing fasting employees to take intermittent rest breaks throughout the day will help with their ability to perform at work – maybe allow them to replace their lunch hour with a 5 or 10-minute break every hour to help combat the fatigue that may occur from working long, consistent hours with no food or water.
Where possible, it may be worth employers offering flexible working patterns to those who are fasting during Ramadan. Managers should be aware of the potential effects of not eating and drinking during the day, combined with change to sleeping patterns and should take considerate steps to support their colleagues. For instance, if it’s possible for them to start their working day as close to sunrise as possible, then this will mean employees will have more energy as they will have recently eaten and had a drink, versus beginning work hours after their fast started by which time they may be less productive. As the effects of fasting may be felt most strongly in the afternoon, it can be helpful to those who are fasting if meetings and intellectually challenging work can be done in the morning and more routine tasks later in the day. It is also advisable for colleagues to inform their managers if they are fasting to allow for any adjustments and any other measures that could be helpful during this time.
Away from fasting, many employers may already have a dedicated multi-faith area for contemplation or prayer but if not, and where possible, employers should try to provide a safe and quiet space/ prayer room as those observing Ramadan will most likely engage in more prayer throughout the day.
It’s also worth noting employees observing Ramadan may wish to use a considerable portion of their annual leave allocation at this time of year, including time off for Eid.
The above should be considered between the employee and their line manager, while also considering the wider team. Employers should manage team expectations to ensure any flexibility does not place an unreasonable extra burden or detriment on other employees, but also that they are not treating the employee observing Ramadan any less favourably because of the request(s) they have made.