Religious identity in the workplace study reveals way forward for inclusion
Published: 28 October 2024
Commentary
A groundbreaking study by Dr Rami Al-Sharif from the Adam Smith Business School highlights the importance of including religious accommodation in workplace equality, diversity, and inclusion practices.
Dr Rami Al-Sharif from the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School has developed a new model to understand how Muslims navigate their often-stigmatised identity in the workplace.
Muslims, as a social group, experience high levels of Islamophobia and hate crimes, with 2,703 offences recorded in England and Wales between 2020 and 2021, making up 45% of all reported religious hate crimes (GOV.UK, 2021).
Negative attitudes toward Muslims continue to impact workplaces. Dr Al-Sharif explains, “Muslims face obstacles in job access, career advancement, and frequently encounter stigmatisation, surveillance, distrust, and hostility. Despite these challenges, there’s little awareness of how Muslims manage their identity in the workplace.”
Dr Al-Sharif’s research, published by the British Psychological Society, involved interviews with skilled Muslim professionals working in financial services, consultancy, IT, and health. The goal was to understand how they navigate their religious identity at work.
The findings revealed that these professionals often have to use mental resources to handle workplace stigma rather than solely focusing on their job, adding an extra burden.
The study also sheds light on authenticity, showing that despite these challenges, many Muslim professionals choose to remain true to themselves. They openly practice their religion at work, for example, by using breaks for prayers, fasting during Ramadan, and keeping their Muslim attire.
They see their religious identity as part of their authentic self and feel a responsibility to challenge religious stigma. They use workplace discussions to correct and reinterpret their identity for colleagues influenced by negative societal stereotypes.
The research notes that some Muslim professionals find strength through religious practices to cope with stigmatisation while actively challenging negative experiences.
Interestingly, those in senior positions use their roles to support a fairer workplace. Skilled professionals also tend to seek inclusive workplaces, asking early on in interviews if the organisation accommodates prayer spaces and Friday mosque attendance.
Religious diversity can bring significant benefits to organisations, including ethical standards, commitment, citizenship behaviours, and quality service. Incorporating religious accommodation into EDI policies can foster acceptance, belonging, tolerance, and a good workplace fit for religious minorities.
Workplaces risk losing talent if they don’t provide an inclusive, identity-safe environment for stigmatised groups. Understanding stigmatisation’s effects on social groups can help tackle division in society.
The report suggests that employers and HR teams should support better workplace integration and inclusive practices for minority religious groups. Adding religious accommodation to diversity programmes could increase acceptance and a sense of belonging, alongside promoting understanding of different beliefs.
Read more on the University of Glasgow website.
First published: 28 October 2024