Is religion still an issue in business?

January 17th was World Religion Day, and so I thought it would be fitting to explore the topic of religion, in particular the issue of discrimination - something that small businesses may not be aware of when dealing with employees/suppliers and customers of different religions.

Let's start with the facts. According to the 2001 Census, there are 4.6m people, 7.9% of the whole, from ethnic minority groups in the UK. Indians are the largest group, followed by Pakistani, mixed ethnic backgrounds, black Caribbean and black Africans.
Almost half of people say they are Christian, 45% hold no religious beliefs, 3.3% are Muslim, 1.4% are Hindu, 0.5% are Jewish, 0.2% are Sikh, the same proportion are Buddhist and 1.4% follow other non-Christian religions. (Source: British Social Attitudes Survey).
Under The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, it is unlawful to discriminate against workers because of their religion/belief or lack of. Employers of any size therefore, should ensure they have policies in place which are designed to prevent discrimination in:
• Recruitment and selection
• Determining pay
• Training and development
• Selection for promotion
• Discipline and grievances
• Countering bullying and harassment
There is no specific list that sets out what religion or belief discrimination is. The law defines it as any religion, religious or philosophical belief. This includes all major religions, as well as less widely practised ones. Staff are also protected against discrimination if they do not follow any religion or belief. Political beliefs are not counted as a religion or belief.
Many employers find that being sensitive to the cultural and religious needs of their employees makes good business sense. This can mean making provisions for:
• Flexible working
• Religious holidays
• Prayer rooms with appropriate hygiene facilities
• Dietary requirements in staff canteens
• Dress requirements

CASE STUDY IN PRACTICE
I recently had a meeting with a manager who leads a team of 18 staff members of different cultures and religions. The manager discussed some of her personal (work related) concerns around cultural diversity and inclusion:
'Should staff members eat in front of a Muslim person who is fasting? And what to do if my manager insists on calling my PA 'Mary' when her actual name is Mandakini? The manager says he cannot pronounce her name and I have raised my discomfort with him several times but he just laughs. Mandakini says she does not mind, though she did mention that by calling her Mary he is inadvertently changing her religion.'
Mandakini, over time, is going to become more resentful that the manager does not appear to bother learning her name. This could have a detrimental effect on their working relationship.
Regarding eating in front of colleagues who are fasting; most people following a particular religious practice do not necessarily expect the lives of others with different beliefs to be affected within a work context. Some Muslim colleagues have appreciated being invited to a 'Working Lunch' whilst fasting and equally value their colleagues' sensitivity of simply asking: "Do you mind if I eat my lunch in front of you?' It is all about showing due care, consideration and sensitivity.
The concept of working well together in a culturally diverse environment is relatively new. However, different communication styles can possibly cause misunderstanding and confusion, potentially leading to ineffective team dynamics and stereotyping.
We sometimes create impressions of a person not just through what they say, but also our perceptions. For example, our ideas on what constitutes good manners are based on our own cultural norms, and may be considered differently in other cultures. An understanding of where a person comes from, not just geographically, but culturally, can help to smooth our interactions and forge better connections with each other.
It is vital that when we are meeting and working with people from different backgrounds, cultures and religions, we take into account what we say to each other, and also how we say it.
Sometimes this is difficult to achieve internally though, as people are often too close to their own issues and insecurities to take an objective and business related stance on such issues. This is why it can be useful to invite in an external diversity specialist like myself who can look at the matter rationally and talk to individuals about their feelings without the fear of embarrassment.
Even small changes can lead to vast improvements in working relationship.
As Martin Luther King once said, "Men hate each other because they fear each other, and they fear each other because they don't know each other".