How to embed faith and Religious inclusivity into your DEI strategy

Faith and religion are important to billions of people worldwide, but a topic often dismissed within the workplace. In this blog we we want to help raise awareness on why and how companies can implement faith-inclusive work policies to build a more diverse, inclusive and supportive working environment to benefit both businesses and employees. 

What is religious diversity and inclusivity?

Examples of discrimination due to religious beliefs

Faith will naturally make up a very big part of a person's belief system and therefore be a part of day-to-day life. Religious beliefs should be respected, but sometimes within the workplace, there may often be discrimination that religious minorities, in particular, might face. A recent survey looking at the experience of 6,315 workers in the UK and US, considering a variety of religious backgrounds highlighted that 47% of respondents said they do not feel comfortable discussing at work the religious festivals they celebrate and 32% said they have had negative experiences when expressing their religious identity at work.

All types of discrimination can go undetected, with incidents not always being reported. This could include anything from subtle comments being made, feeling as if your opportunities are more limited than others or simply not being included or judged for not wanting to participate in certain activities; sometimes, discrimination can also be difficult to prove. 

Let’s take the drink culture associated with work as an example i.e. popping to the pub at lunch or going after-work drinks. Religion doesn’t necessarily have to be a reason for someone choosing not to drink - many people choose not to for health reasons or as a personal preference. Employees who choose not to attend because of religious beliefs might face stigma and be labelled as boring or disengaged, which could affect working relationships and impact career progression. Non-drinkers are often faced with the typical question, “aren’t you drinking?” which can come across as very judgemental; if we look at this from another perspective, we wouldn’t ask a vegetarian, "aren’t you eating meat?”. It's not to say companies shouldn't go for drinks at lunch or after work; it's more about being mindful that not everyone will want to attend, and no employee should be penalised for this.

4 ways to create a faith inclusive workplace

1. Create inclusive policies and procedures

Policies and procedures are essential to your DEI strategy. HR should create and regularly review these policies to ensure they meet the business's needs and comply with legal requirements. It's important to involve employees from different faiths in developing these policies to ensure they are truly inclusive. These policies should guarantee that employees are not disadvantaged because of their religion or lack thereof, promoting an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

2. Ensure your recruitment process is non-discriminatory 

Employers that want to attract a diverse pool of candidates must ensure that their recruitment process is non-discriminatory. This means taking proactive steps to eliminate bias and encourage applications from underrepresented groups.

Here are some steps to follow:

1. Use inclusive language: In job descriptions, use positive statements welcoming underrepresented groups to apply. For example, you might include a sentence like, "We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, gender, disability, or other underrepresented groups."

2. Diversify job posting locations: Post job openings on platforms that cater to diverse audiences. This ensures that your job postings reach a wide and varied group of potential candidates. By using a platform like Flexa you can diversity your talent pipeline by 65%.

3. Train hiring managers: Make sure that hiring managers and recruitment teams are trained in unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. This helps in creating a more objective and fair recruitment process.

4. Set clear, objective criteria: Develop clear and objective criteria for evaluating candidates. This helps reduce bias and ensures that all applicants are judged fairly based on their skills and qualifications.

5. Partner with diverse organisations: Collaborate with organisations and communities that represent diverse groups. This can help in reaching out to a broader candidate pool.

6. Monitor and evaluate: Regularly assess your recruitment process to identify any biases or gaps. Use this data to continuously improve your strategies and ensure a truly inclusive recruitment process.

3. Offer flexible working arrangements

For many individuals they might feel more comfortable practising their religion at home; for example, practising Muslims observing the five daily prayers - it’s a lot easier to plan your work around prayers when at home, particularly as the timings change throughout the year. Observing the month of Ramadan can also be more difficult when working from the office.

Allowing flexible working makes it possible to account for most employees' needs. Others might need flexibility for other reasons; this includes those who are working parents / pawrents, have an illness or disability, caring responsibilities or other personal commitments. 

4. Take steps to create faith and religious inclusion

Companies can take various actionable steps to create a faith / religious inclusive workplace.

• Provide training to raise awareness and minimise misconceptions that could be held around religion.
  
• Create multi-faith internal groups to ensure faith / religious inclusion is being implemented well. 
  
• Allowing time off for observing religious occasions. 
  
• Giving consideration and understanding for requests to pray - ensuring a dedicated prayer or meditation space is provided and inclusive of different religions.
  
• Ensuring that dress code requirements take into consideration religious beliefs.  
  
• Being considerate of employees' cultural and religious needs when organising workplace events and accommodating dietary requirements. 
  
• Provide flexible working options, making it easier for individuals to practise religion.
  
• Set out specific policies for unacceptable behaviour relating to religion and beliefs. 

Supporting religious employees during times of global conflict

When global conflicts arise, it's important to consider the impact on employees of various religious backgrounds who may feel particularly vulnerable or distressed. Being mindful and supportive of their unique needs can make a significant difference. Religious employees might experience heightened anxiety, fear, or a sense of isolation, especially if the conflict directly affects their community or country of origin.

Rachel Vecht, Founder of Educating Matters shares her thoughts.

“Aside from inclusive policies, procedure and recruitment, education around religion in the workplace is largely focused on fun, food and festivals, without really understanding people. For example, since October 7, there has been a lot of silence and resistance to having real conversations about the lived experience of Jews or Muslims, for fear of being seen to be taking sides at the expense of one over another.”

10 companies that are leading with the way

There is still a long way to go in creating workplaces that are truly faith-inclusive, but some companies are making significant progress in what they offer employees. Here are a few of our flexified companies that provide faith rooms and religious celebration holidays to their employees. These initiatives not only help retain employees but are also crucial in attracting diverse talent. In fact, 76% of employees and job seekers said diversity was important when considering job offers.

1. Multiverse: A new tech-first institution that combines work and learning to deliver equitable access to economic opportunity for everyone.

2. Action Against Hunger: Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization that aims and works to end world hunger.

3. WorkFlex: Business travel compliance software that gives teams the freedom to work from anywhere today.

4. TUI Group: A leading global travel and leisure experience company counting 1200 travel agencies, around 130 planes, over 400 hotels, 16 cruise liners, various digital platforms for leisure activities, and over 60,000 brilliant colleagues worldwide.

5. WeTransfer: A platform to empower creatives while using business as a force for good.

6. Virgin Media 02: An award-winning fibre broadband provider & telecommunications company.

7. Mondelēz International: Mondelēz International is a multinational confectionary, food and beverage company that has been making treats in the UK for nearly two hundred years.

8. Motorway: Motorway started in 2017 with a vision to build a better car market for everyone, harnessing the power of technology to deliver an amazing experience.

9. Wilderness Agency: Award winning global social media agency headquartered in London.