How to Manage my staff working hours in the month of Ramjan?

THis is OK and we should ignore it and at the same time, once the festival period is over, we should ensure that the lost time is being compensated by them.

Ms Sushma,
We in India respect all religions, religious sentiment is a very delicate and sensitive affair, as such being rigid in timings may not be correct. At the same time as HR executive you need to raise to your Bosse's expectations also. You can adjust their timings to meet the requirement of the Management by making them understand how you are being pressurised by the management. I have observed every Friday this sort of practice taking place in most places, they take a break on Friday for Namaaz. In normal course they cannot mix such sentiments with their work and working hours, this is India and such things only happen here and you can't take a chance with such.
Best wishes,
Joga Rao

Hi Sushma,
In my company we too have Muslim employees who are fasting during Ramjan. For maintaining their work timing (Which is 9 hours) they come early in office and utilisize the break timing of 1 hour as a time to take their first meal in office itself. For their initiative we have arranged a place also where they can have their Namaz and later have their meal within those 1 hour.

Hi Sudhma,
In my opinion what Nisha Sharma has said is very appropriate. Fast breaking time (Iftaar) in India these days is around 7:20pm and then again next morning the fast opening time (Sehri) ends around 4am. Normally a muslim would need around half hour break during both these times. So, they can come by 8:30pm (or so, depending on their office commutime time), and get a break between 3:30am and 4am, after which they can easily work for those many hours that they would have missed the previous evening. Management need 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
isarahmed(at)gmail(dot)com

Hi Sushma
I accept with some people who have said is correct that as the Ramzan is only the major festival for muslims and they should absolutely be allowed because there may IR problems raised if you don't allow them and you should have meeting on the working hours adjustment if it is so important in your place and adjust the timing for a month so the problem is simply solved and no issues.
Regards,
P.Venugopal Reddy

With due respect to all religions, commercial actives of any kind should not be influenced by rituals and methods of carrying out ones faith. All industries give paid holidays on major festivals for individuals to fulfill their religious rituals and celebrations. It is therefore prudent to isolate requests for any adjustments in working hours to any group of individuals which would effect the viability of the business . All professionals should rise above such beliefs in order to make our Country a preferred destination for International communities to invest, thus providing a strong economy.
Regards.

Hi sushma
is there any chance to shift their timings then u can do something. Otherwise company has to give the concession since this is a religion matter.
Y.Gangadhar

To Nisha Sharma--
I have different opinion towards providing the Place for worship at the work place during Ramzan. This will send a wrong signal to the employees of different faith . In future they may also ask for the same favor.
We can think of adjusting the working hour for Muslim Employees as a special consideration .Nothing more can be done beyond this . As to run a business we should draw a line and should not cross it.We need to be practical
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Regards
Sanjeev

Hi,
We have a similar function, where advisors have to take a break off work for Namaz and Fast purpose. Usualy they have to work 8 hours of login which includes 1 hour of break for 5 days a week, I in ramzan I give them 6.30 hours shift for 6 days, with two 20 mins breaks, this leads to a loss of only 5 hours on a weekly basis. If you still cant afford to lose these 5 hours, you can ask the non-Muslim counterparts to do OT for 1 hour each, keeping your requirements up. Expectations with the Muslims in such cases are kept to make them understand that such co-operation will be required of them during Ganpati & Diwali fests. Works for me well

Hi,
Please make it an organisatioonal problem in as much as discuss with all of them by explaining the view of your manager and showing concern for the time loss and seek in right earnest a solution from them. Please try to find out a reasonable and leader-like person among them for this exercise, sure some solution may figure up. Please do not hesitate if you have to make a minor concession but as a part of the formal/informal deal.
Regards
S.K.Johri