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How To Provide Religious Support In The Modern Workplace
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Discrimination appears in a variety of ways, both openly and subtle. A large portion of the population experiences it in one form or another. The more open we are about events as they take place, the more efficiently we can correct what is not right, plus share the better strategies for eliminating much of it.
Diversity is the name of the game in any modern business setting, with employers required to facilitate and support everything from disabilities to gender differences and, of course, racial differences. But, when it comes to prepping your office for helping everyone to feel at home, it’s easy to focus on these prominent discrimination hotspots while overlooking other ever-pressing discriminatory considerations like religion.
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Religious Support In The Modern Workplace
On a base level, every employer understands that they have a legal responsibility not to discriminate based on religious beliefs. But, in the same way, that using the correct language around a wheelchair user isn’t the same as providing them with the tools they need to do their jobs. A similar inclusive approach isn’t necessarily enough to offer the full support and equality that your observant employees deserve.
Instead, it is necessary to understand the best possible ways to offer religious support so that everybody on your team can flourish within your workplace. In this article, we will consider the better ways to make that possible.
# 1 – Religious Diversity Training
Diversity training should be a key focus for ensuring understanding and acceptance regarding a vast array of diversity issues, and religion is no different. In fact, with the US currently home to religions that stretch from Christianity to Islam and beyond, avoiding misunderstandings or discrimination off the back of religious requirements like wearing a hijab is only possible if you help your teams understand the reasoning behind them.
You do not need to commit to entire learning modules to the issue as it could irritate staff and do more harm than good. But, ensuring at least a lesson or two on this subject and encouraging open discussions for employees to ask questions in a supportive environment is guaranteed to make a huge difference overall.
# 2 -Time Off for Religious Reasons
For example, you are about to bring a Christian employee onboard. In advance, you may know not to schedule them on the rotation for Sundays. However, this still isn’t enough to ensure that you’re catering to their needs. It is necessary to double-check for religious holidays such as Easter to avoid the expectation of them working on that day.
Holidays are vital considerations if you employ a diverse religious landscape. Each religion has different holy days and religious holidays to which employees will want to adhere. In the case of Muslim employees, you will even need to provide the correct periods off daily for the five prayers that individuals must complete in chosen windows. It needn’t prove too much of a problem if you keep these dates in mind before setting your rotas. As employees witness your flexible policies, you will groom a happier team. While it can all prove problematic when trying to run a company, catering for employee wellbeing in these ways is crucial.
Varying Clothing Styles
# 3 – In-Office Religious Support
Religious individuals typically take great comfort in their beliefs and could benefit from an increased level of religious support in the workplace. It doesn’t mean that you need to become an expert in every religion you employ. But it does mean that you’re going to want to think specifically about helping these individuals during difficult days or challenging projects.
Taking steps like providing time off for religious holidays will ensure religious employees can spend time in the environments that support them the most. You can also move that benefit one step further by seeking specific religious help within your office as offered by a chaplaincy agency like Marketplace Chaplains.
Many companies employ an outside counselor or doctor to work with their teams. Similarly, a chaplain or other religious figure can enter the workplace depending on your employee base. They may offer private meeting support and generate the feeling that you’re willing to go above and beyond to be inclusive.
It’s essential to realize that if you’re doing this for one religious group, equality dictates that you’ll need to do this for others as well. But, for relatively little cost considering the efficiency of this solution, bringing outside help onboard for all religious workplace groups is an effort that’s well worth your while.
# 4 – Addressing Religion-based Bullying
Employers are now well-versed in directly addressing the discrimination-based bullying that happens for many reasons. They educate their employees, as mentioned above. They establish proactive and no-nonsense policies for employees found to be discriminating regardless.
However, while most employers wouldn’t think twice about suspending someone who mocked a colleague in a wheelchair, religion-based bullying isn’t always so clear-cut. Addressing this issue upfront is the only possible way to ensure the inclusive and happy environment you strive for.
The often subtle nature of discrimination of this nature requires employers to look out for anything that one may construe as intimidating or degrading. The list includes religion-based name-calling or ill-thought jokes. Stop future such events by adequately punishing the individual in question with steps like suspension or worse. Should this happen outside of an employee’s earshot, action must be immediate.
It becomes essential for an employer to seek out the bullied individual and offer supportive steps. Offer counseling or a session with the religious counsel suggested above. It will be best to re-implement education efforts to avoid repeat performances and ensure everybody on your team understands that such behavior is unacceptable.
# 5 – Inclusivity at work events
Inclusive Employee Parties
Attempts to avoid difficult situations or indirect discrimination can leave some individuals feeling uncomfortable or unwelcome. It is especially true when upon celebrating holidays such as Christmas or Easter. The holidays have specific connotations with Christianity. Approach them with extra care.
A more general approach to cater to varying religious connotations works best. Specifically, catering for every team member requires you to use the correct language, such as ‘happy holidays’ rather than ‘Merry Christmas.’ Doing so leaves space for Jewish employees celebrating Hanukkah, for example. Work events, including nights out, work lunches, and a simple buffet in the meeting room, should also cater to employees’ religious needs, such as food selection.
Food selection is a prime example of what inclusivity is all about. We mentioned taking caution with food. Unintentional religious bias occurs quickly unless preventable steps are in place. Offer kosher food for your Jewish employees or avoid beef if you have Hindus in your workforce. Doing so will make a welcome difference. Equally, providing non-alcoholic drinks for any Muslim team members is sure to show that you’re catering to everybody’s needs.
A Final Word: Religious Support In the Modern Workplace
To create a truly diverse working landscape, employers must take the extra steps to ensure that employees from all walks of life feel welcome and safe. Only then can they do their jobs to the best of their abilities without dealing with any form of discrimination along the way. Religious employees fall well within this requirement. Indiscriminate religious biases are rife in areas where it’s common not to notice.
Your awareness of the issues that religious employees often face at work is the first step for resolving the problems. Recognizing what you can do in each instance to stop the unspoken discrimination from escalating out of control comes next. And training all employees on the acceptable actions will establish an environment where employees want to be. Commitment to awareness and a proactive stance is essential to keep everyone happy and comfortable. Doing so should be a priority at all times.
Finally, you may wonder whether all the above is worthy of my time and money? Employee loyalty, your brand, reputation, and future business growth depend upon it.
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Sales Tips: Religious Support In The Modern Workplace
- Host team meetings specifically for employees to share insights into their culture.
- Have team members volunteer what they mistakenly thought but now know.
- Ask for the team to share what they learned from the cultural insights.
- Have team members suggest how they may apply the learning to client meetings.
- As holidays arise, have people of varying faith share their customs and what they like most.
- Before an event or holiday, ask employees to contribute a favorite delicacy.
- Ask the employees who do contribute food for events to share the recipes.
- During team training, ask members how their culture influenced their career choice.
- Have employees provide suggestions for making people feel more welcome to help with religious support in the modern workplace.
- Celebrate Success!
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