Is Religion Taboo in the Workplace?

For generations, the corporate world has stayed as far from the topic of religion as possible, expecting workers to practice their own discretion in bringing their beliefs to the office. However, things are quickly changing as religious workers of different faiths continue to mix in the workplace. To ensure workers feel appreciated and welcome no matter their faith, companies need to start addressing the topic of religion.

A Shift in Religious Expression in the Workplace

As the hot topic of faith in the workplace comes up more and more often, companies are beginning to pay more attention to the important issues relating to a multicultural, and multi-faith, workplace. French oil company Total SA, in seeing this trend, went so far as to create a 96-page religious guide for its management and employees. This is no surprise since problems related to religion in the workplace are also growing. From 2006 to 2016, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that religious discrimination complaints increased by 50 percent, which may indicate a growing diversity in religious workers across industries.

The Importance of Starting a Conversation on Religion

If companies don't start thinking about the needs of religious workers and making allowances for their practices until issues arise, they risk discrimination complaints and lawsuits, not to mention the lost trust of their religious workers from every faith. Holding meetings and in-depth discussions is especially important for companies that want to accommodate not only current religious workers, but employees of different faiths who may be hired in the future.

Discussions about religion in the workplace are also important for workers who can form a more cohesive team and an inclusive workplace. After all, religious workers who understand and appreciate other faiths can more easily set aside their differences to work together. This means understanding the needs and practices of different religions, such as prayer times, religious wear and dietary needs.

How Companies Can Accommodate Workers of Different Religions

Companies of every size and industry can start accommodating religious workers with a few simple modifications to policies and expectations. For instance, they may change office dress code to accommodate religious headdresses and allow maximum time and intervals for prayer breaks. For company events, having vegetarian, halal and kosher options may ease the worries of religious workers. Managers may also express permission for workers to keep discrete religious texts and items in their office. Companies can even go beyond basic needs by celebrating religious holidays such as Kwanzaa.

Religious workers of every faith should feel accepted in the workplace, and solid policies and accommodations are a big step in making that happen. As companies continue to remove the taboo from the topic of religion, they may begin to ease tensions while celebrating diversity among their valued teams.

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