5 Ways to Look out for Your Fasting Colleagues This Ramadan

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan started last week, with many Muslims participating in fasting, worship, communal gathering, and other spiritual practices. While not all Muslims fast during Ramadan, some of your Muslim coworkers may be abstaining from eating and/or drinking from sunrise to sunset—in other words, for the entire length of the work day.

As you may imagine, fasting can have a big impact on energy levels throughout the day. Alongside managing fatigue, your coworkers may be balancing their work schedule with set times for prayer or breaking their fast. As your colleagues navigate these commitments, a supportive, respectful work environment can make all the difference.

To help you support your Muslim coworkers through this important time of year, our elevAsian ERG has put together a guide with recommendations and watch outs for the next few weeks.

1. Be empathetic.

Most of us struggle to last an hour or two during the work day without a snack or a coffee. During Ramadan, your fasting coworkers may be going the entire day without even a drink of water. Try to put yourself in their shoes, and be considerate of the context they’re working in.

At the same time, you don’t need to go around feeling sorry for your Muslim coworkers. In fact, you can acknowledge the positive, celebratory nature of this moment by wishing them a “Ramadan Mubarak” (which translates to “Happy Ramadan”!)

2. Bring some perspective.

Remember that while companies close during holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, there isn’t typically an official accommodation for Ramadan. Some may be tempted to brush off the importance of a tradition that is less widely acknowledged in corporate calendars. But in reality, Islam is the third largest religion in the US, and 8 out of 10 Muslims fast during Ramadan.

Give the same respect and reverence during Ramadan that you would want to receive during the times of year that mean a lot to your faith, family, or community.

3. Honor privacy around faith and fasting.

Fasting is a very personal practice. Some of your coworkers may choose to share that they’re fasting, while others may prefer to keep this private. Respect these boundaries, and don’t pry into why people are or aren’t fasting. If you learn someone is a Muslim/is fasting during Ramadan, this doesn’t give you permission to ask excessive questions about their faith.

4. Don’t assume fasting is about losing weight.

Avoid comments about dieting, losing weight, or shifts in your coworkers’ appearance during or after fasting. Ramadan is a spiritual experience, and losing weight isn’t the goal. Comments around weight may also be triggering for those navigating eating disorders during this time.

5. Be flexible with work schedules and demands.

As your Muslim colleagues juggle spiritual practices and obligations during Ramadan, there are a few specific accommodations you can consider to make their lives a little easier:

• Step in to support during client calls: Some colleagues may not be drinking at all throughout the day. Talking on every single call or leading an entire one hour call may be a lot to handle, so raise a hand to support them as needed.
• Respect calendar blocks (and don’t be nosy!): Some colleagues may have calendar blocks to pray or break fast. Trust their ability to get their work done when and where they need to, and don’t ask questions about what they’re doing during these times.
• Help to facilitate flexible schedules: Since fasting Muslims eat before dawn in the morning, they may prefer to start work early and finish the day sooner so their morning meal can sustain them during the day. Additionally, some colleagues may have hard sign-offs right before sunset to prepare Iftar (the small meal where Muslims break fast in the evening) or go to the mosque. Be flexible, and try to accommodate these slightly shifted schedules.

Above all, empathy and understanding is the best policy. Have patience with your colleagues, as you never know what circumstances they are dealing with outside of work. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection and self improvement; even if you aren’t celebrating, we can all embrace the spirit of kindness, empathy, and generosity.

About elevAsian: elevAsian’s purpose is to connect in a safe space, discuss issues impacting the Asian community, and seek opportunities to uplift others.