Ramadan 2025 is expected to begin on the evening of Friday 28 February 2025, and will end on the evening of Sunday 30 March 2025, with the exact dates contingent upon the sighting of the moon. The beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan will be confirmed upon sighting of the new moon. In this month’s HR Insight, we look at the potential effects this can have in the workplace and how employers can manage these.

Background

Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar, and it is marked by followers of this faith in various ways, including fasting during daylight hours. Some Muslims will completely abstain from all food and drink during the fasting period, whereas others may take a different approach. There is also a tradition of breaking their fast with a family meal, along with prayers. This can have a significant impact on an employee’s performance and availability for work. As such, it is best to plan ahead and make arrangements now so that when it comes to Ramadan itself there are no issues.

Discuss and agree plans with affected staff

Staff members who are intending to fast or who will need time off during Ramadan can be encouraged to make themselves known or be contacted directly by line managers who are already aware of their intentions, in order to discuss what changes, if any, might be needed during Ramadan. Whilst employers do not have to agree to make any changes, where it is possible to do so they should be strongly considered in order to allow employees to practice their faith as they see fit, ensure good employee relations, and avoid any allegations of discrimination.

Communication will also be necessary with employees who are not participating in Ramadan but who are nevertheless affected by it through the accommodations made for their colleagues who are. For example, they may be asked to take on additional or other duties, pick up overtime, or make some other change to ensure the work is done. Talking to them first about this and getting their agreement will allow employers to smooth over any issues, hopefully before they arise.

Flexible working

Given the physical demands of fasting, especially as the days get longer and the window of fasting increases (as it takes place between sunrise and sunset), some employees may require adjustments to their working routine during Ramadan. This could include altering shift patterns, changing start and finish times (moving the day forward may help), or amending duties to reduce fatigue impacting performance or increasing risk of injury.

Fasting can affect each person differently and as such decisions should be on an individual basis, rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Before any decisions are made, the situation should be discussed with the employee and their line manager so that the best solution can be found.

Annual leave

It may be that individuals prefer to use their annual leave during Ramadan. Alternatively, they may want to save it for the Eid celebrations after. Whilst it is important to be consistent with the rules that are normally applied to holiday booking, it may be that exceptions will need to be made where requests come in at the last minute, or where there are a number of team members wishing to have the same period off.

Even if the full period cannot be accommodated, employers should work with their management team and employees to see if there are any other options, such as allowing part of the leave or redistributing work among team members.

Policy

Given the importance of Ramadan to Muslim employees, it would be advisable to highlight the organisation’s approach in a religious observance policy, giving individuals a clear source of information on their rights at work during this time. Having said this, any policy will need to be inclusive, giving equal footing to other religions and celebrations relevant to them, in order to avoid claims of religious discrimination.

Harassment

Unfortunately, there is the potential for Muslim employees to face unwanted treatment and/or religious harassment at work during Ramadan, either at the hands of third parties or their fellow colleagues. It may be that other staff see adjustments made for their Muslim colleagues as special treatment or resent any additional duties they have been asked to pick up as a result. Organisations should work to dispel any notion of this and make sure to remind staff that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found responsible for offensive behaviour and that “workplace banter” will not be accepted as a legitimate excuse for discrimination.

The impact of fasting

Employees who observe Ramadan are required to fast between sunrise and sunset. As days are becoming longer, this usually means employees are spending a long time without food and may be working during these hours.

Organisations may look to be more flexible with how the employee’s day is structured, perhaps scheduling important meetings in the morning when the energy levels of employees are likely to be higher.

A restricted intake of food may have a negative impact on productivity levels, especially towards later working hours. Organisations should take this into consideration where there are any temporary drops in performance for Muslim employees. Muslim employees should not be treated less favourably because they are observing Ramadan, and this extends to the effects of fasting. To do otherwise could amount to discrimination. Instead, organisations can proactively consider altering shifts or allowing regular short breaks if employees are lacking energy.

Employers may receive requests from staff who do not wish to attend training events or client meetings that involve food and drink. Organisations should carefully consider these requests and arrange a meeting with the employee to discuss their reservations and consider whether an alternative arrangement can be reached, bearing in mind the reasons for the request.

It may also be the case that the employee works overnight. This may mean that they need additional breaks for food or prayer, or to adjust their working hours to accommodate arrangements for breaking their fast. As above, where possible these adjustments should be made.

Takeaway

When it comes to religious observance, it is important that employers act in a way that is sensitive to the needs of those requesting adjustments, and line managers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deal with their requests in a respectful and fair manner. Where it is not possible to accommodate what has been requested, requests can be refused, but only where there are no compromises to be made.

For additional assistance, please reach out to The HR Team for expert guidance and practical support.