Managing Staff Hours During Ramadan: How Do You Handle Late Arrivals and Early Departures?

Hi everyone, this is Sushma. I work as a Trainee HR in a US-based IT staffing company located in Bangalore. My query is how to manage my staff's working hours during the month of Ramadan, as they have been arriving late and leaving early from work. Can someone please help me with this?

In the month of Ramadan, it's quite common for most of the Muslim staff to come late and leave early due to their fasting and prayers. Moreover, even during lunchtime, a few will go for prayer. In those cases, we should exclude them. We can't restrict on a humanitarian basis. Except for this month, they may come early and work a bit late too. Why do we want to bother about this particular month for late arrivals and early departures?

It's true that we should give flexibility for religious beliefs wherever possible, but at the same time, we should ensure that employees do not misuse it. I also received a similar request from my staff. What we did was make their timings (up to 1 hour) flexible, but they are required to ensure a total of 8 hours of work. If they do not take any lunch or tea breaks, you can adjust their schedule accordingly.

It's true that we should give flexibility for religious beliefs wherever possible, but at the same time, ensure that employees do not misuse it. I also received a similar request from my staff. What we did is made their timing (up to 1 hour) flexible, but they are required to ensure a total of 8 hours of working. If they are not taking any lunch or tea breaks, you can also adjust them.

Thanks, but you know what's happening... We work from 6:30 PM - 3:30 AM (IST). My staff are coming at 8:30 and leaving at 3 o'clock in the morning (they are not covering any extra hours), and my manager in the US was not quite happy about it. So, I really need to work on it...

My manager does respect their religious feelings. He doesn't mind them coming late. The only concern is that the company was losing 2.5 hours a day for every single employee. He is not quite happy about it.

Hi, in that case, you can consult with them and ask them to come to the office a bit early and leave by 3:30. They can even leave at 4:00; it is not a problem. Anyhow, their prayer will start around 5.

Thank you.

But they were told they can have their food only after 7:30 PM and before 3:50 AM. So, I really don't know what to do.

They mentioned that they can have their food only after 7:30 PM and before 3:50 AM, so I really don't know what to do.

In that case, you should request them to come early, by 7:00-7:30. They can have a break for prayer and food.

Shift Management During Ramadan

Change their shift. I don't think if in a batch/shift there are 100 people, all 100 are Muslims. Those who don't have any issue working at that time, you give them that slot. It also depends on people's mentality and seriousness regarding how they take religion. I have seen many doctors and people working in sensitive posts, setting religion aside and performing their duties sincerely. Have you ever seen a doctor in the middle of an operation or an army person on duty taking time off for prayers?

My post is not intended to hurt any religion or caste. But management really doesn't care about such things, especially companies who are at the mercy of Uncle Sam.

What your staff is telling is correct— Iftar food is taken only between 7:30 PM and 4:00 AM (in the nights—basically AFTER Sunset and BEFORE Sunrise, i.e.).

Discussion on Working Hours During Ramadan

This topic was also discussed recently by others— Link below: https://www.citehr.com/421015-availi...ing-hours.html

Since you say that your company is into US staffing, you would be having a 5-day week. Also, I am sure there would be offline work involved (when they don't need to talk to anyone in the US).

Suggestion for Managing Work Hours During Ramadan

Why not ask them to work for some hours on Saturdays/Sundays also in the Ramadan month— to be utilized for all offline work (i.e., IF they REALLY want to say their Prayers)? This would also need a greater amount of planning and coordination between your office and the US-end— but that would be better than losing so many man-days.

All the Best.

Regards, TS

I have had many Muslims working in companies, and we never faced any problems. No one organization can provide flexible rules for every religious segment. Then, every month on Amavasya, people will ask for permission to come late and leave early as they will be fasting. There are Muslims who do not observe this fasting, and they are expected to make some payment instead. I had many Muslim friends who used to stay late, have lunch, and make these payments. There are a few who still stay late and fast.

Every religion has its own peculiarities, and organizations cannot create flexible rules for all religions. In my early schooling days, Amavasya used to be a day when schools started at 11 am instead of 9.30 am. This practice has now disappeared. If you want to create flexible rules, then take into consideration the requests that could arise from other religions as well.

Regards,
T. Sivasankaran

My manager, who sits in the US, didn't say a single word about this; he just wants to cover extra working hours. But in reality, Muslims break their fast at around 7 PM, so they want to start at 8. In the morning, they should have their break by 4 AM, so I can't ask them to stay longer and cover their hours. I said the same to my manager; even he doesn't know what to do. He wants me to work on...

In my opinion, you should adhere to your HR policy, which should be common for people of all religions and faiths. If you want to give special consideration, then discuss it with your management, as it is a policy matter. I believe that, being at a junior level, you may not have the authority to make decisions. Once a decision is reached, please communicate it clearly to these employees so that they do not take the management for granted.

Regards,
Sanjeev

It's true that Muslims can't eat after 3:50 or 4:15 am and before 7:00 or 7:30 pm. I think they are right... Can you change your working hours?

I know this problem exists. If the majority of staff are non-Muslim, you could consider granting some employees leave and adjusting it to their leave entitlement for a few hours in this month. Alternatively, you could agree to these reduced working hours, which employees can make up for by working extra hours during the rest of the year, or even both as needed.

In Mumbai, we do not provide any extra benefits for this period. However, leave can be taken or adjusted as mentioned earlier in some companies.

Regards,
P.S.

It is the month of Ramadan, and all Muslims are very religious towards their religion. They are coming at 8:30 pm, which is okay because they have to break their fast around 7:30 pm. Give them a break of 30 minutes at 3:30 am and tell them they can bring their food and manage from the cafeteria. You just need to make arrangements for their prayer, like assigning a room for namaz. After taking a 30-minute break, they can cover their hours.

We do respect all religions, but management won't suffer for it.

Thanks,
Regards

We in India respect all religions. Religious sentiment is a very delicate and sensitive affair; therefore, being rigid in timings may not be correct. As an HR executive, you also need to meet your boss's expectations. You can adjust their timings to align with the management's requirements by explaining the pressure you are under.

I have observed that every Friday, many places have a practice of taking a break for Namaaz. In general, mixing such sentiments with work and working hours is not common, but in India, such practices occur, and it's important not to overlook them.

Best wishes,
Joga Rao

In my company, we also have Muslim employees who are fasting during Ramadan. To accommodate their fasting schedule while maintaining their 9-hour workday, they arrive early at the office and utilize their 1-hour break as an opportunity to have their first meal in the office. In recognition of their dedication, we have designated a space where they can perform their Namaz and then have their meal within that 1-hour break.

Thank you.

In my opinion, what Nisha Sharma has said is very appropriate. Fast-breaking time (Iftaar) in India these days is around 7:20 pm, and then again, the next morning, the fast-opening time (Sehri) ends around 4 am. Normally, a Muslim would need around a half-hour break during both of these times. So, they can come by 8:30 pm (or so, depending on their office commute time) and get a break between 3:30 am and 4 am, after which they can easily work for those many hours that they would have missed the previous evening. Management needs to make some arrangement where they can have their food and offer their prayers (Maghrib namaz soon after their Iftaar and Fajr namaz soon after their Sehri).

Any further queries are welcome.

Regards,
Isar Ahmed
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I agree with some people who have said that it is correct that Ramadan is the major festival for Muslims, and they should absolutely be allowed to observe it. There may be interpersonal relationship problems if you do not allow them. You should schedule a meeting to discuss working hours adjustment if it is important in your workplace. Adjust the timing for a month so the problem is easily solved with no issues.

Regards,
P. Venugopal Reddy

Is there any chance to shift their timings? Then you can do something. Otherwise, the company has to make a concession since this is a religious matter.

Regards,
Y. Gangadhar

I have a different opinion towards providing a place for worship at the workplace during Ramzan. This may send a wrong signal to employees of different faiths. In the future, they may also ask for the same favor. We can consider adjusting the working hours for Muslim employees as a special consideration. Nothing more can be done beyond this. To run a business, we should draw a line and not cross it. We need to be practical.

Regards,
Sanjeev

We have a similar function where advisors have to take a break from work for Namaz and fasting purposes. Usually, they have to work 8 hours of login, which includes 1 hour of break for 5 days a week.

Ramadan Work Schedule Adjustments

In Ramadan, I give them a 6.30-hour shift for 6 days, with two 20-minute breaks. This leads to a loss of only 5 hours on a weekly basis. If you still can't afford to lose these 5 hours, you can ask the non-Muslim counterparts to do overtime for 1 hour each, keeping your requirements up. Expectations with the Muslims in such cases are kept to make them understand that such cooperation will be required of them during Ganpati and Diwali festivals. It works well for me.

Thank you.

Please address this as an organizational problem. Discuss with everyone involved, explaining your manager's perspective, expressing concern about the time lost, and earnestly seeking a solution from the team. Identify a reasonable and leadership-oriented individual within the group to help with this task. By collaborating, a viable solution should emerge. Don't hesitate to make minor concessions if necessary as part of the formal or informal agreement.

Regards,
S.K. Johri

I can understand your problem, but at the same time, it is also true that they can eat only within the above-mentioned duration. However, you cannot justify it to your seniors. Moreover, I personally feel that one should justify the job as well as religion. 2.5 hours a day is a lot, approximately 1/4th of a working day. I suggest you should keep two options open in front of them and ask them to choose one:

1. They should either come early or go late to cover up working hours and can take a break of 1 hour at the time of Iftaar (7:15-8:15 pm) or Sehri (3:30-4:30 am).
2. They should cover up total working hours in a month, i.e., working on weekends/late hours once Ramadan is over.

Hope this will solve your problem.

Regards,
Reshma

First, please ask him or her to show their Ramjam month timing card because all days' timings are mentioned on this card, okay? Your staff is telling lies because Sehri timing is before 3:30 am and after 6:30 pm. Just consider a 30-minute allowance for Iftar; many people in Kolkata city work night shifts from 10 pm to 7 am and they do not want any problems. Also, please inform them to bring their food to the office for Sehri. If there are any issues, call me.

Thanks & Regards,
Abhijit Barua
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I guess it's going on too long now. By this time, Sushma would have got the answer. I mean, actually, it's very simple - Muslim employees can be provided a half-hour gap for taking food during their fast opening and closing timings, and in return, employees can be flexible enough to accommodate the time lost by working an additional hour before or after work hours, or during weekends, as is deemed fit by the employer in consultation with the employees. Fasting employees can bring their own tiffins/food, as they do bring their own lunch during other months, or the company can provide food if they provide lunch, evening snacks, etc., to all employees. I feel it isn't a complicated topic and just needs good faith and a small meaningful discussion between employees and management or HR. If Muslim employees are given this much flexibility, it'll enhance their morale and make them see their company as employee-friendly. And, as such, it's justified as they're putting in those many hours and not losing anything for the company.

On top of this, the month of Ramzan teaches and motivates one to be honest, trustworthy, and many such good virtues, so in the end, the company gains by having honest people working for it. In fact, every other religion guides people to such good virtues, hence such concessions and flexibility should be accorded to people of all faiths to be able to move along with their religious practices that do not hamper others.

Regards,
Isar Ahmed