Conclusions for HR personnel
Creating awareness and understanding of the different religions in the workplace is essential in combating discrimination and harassment. This can be done through receiving advice and training from cross cultural consultancies. Such consultancies not only educate staff on different religions but can analyse current HR practices and procedures ensuring they do not cause problems for staff. In addition they advise on ways of overcoming challenges introduced through religion in the workplace such as in team building and maximising staff retention.
Key areas HR staff should seek to bear in mind when analysing religion and HR issues in the workplace are:
Creating Awareness - much discrimination or ridicule of religions stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. Creating awareness will help demystify religious practices and eliminate uneducated stereotyping. Awareness of religions and religious belief can be accomplished in many ways, whether via training courses, workshops or company handouts.
Compromising - companies and HR personnel must embrace multiculturalism and diversity. In order to achieve staff cohesion it is important to understand religious concerns and be willing to compromise in order to reach agreements that leave both parties happy. If a worker's religious commitments clash with an employer's rules or timetable there is usually room for dialogue and accommodation.
Having boundaries - although it is important to see to employees religious requirements and accommodate them it is also equally important that HR personnel and employers bear in mind that the company must come first. HR departments and employers must have firm boundaries as to what is acceptable from their perspective and what is potentially damaging to the business. The law does allow some room for companies to insist on certain procedures and criteria to be enforced where no reasonable alternatives exist, even if it does discriminate in one form or another against a religion(s).
For more information on the subject of religion, HR and discrimination, ACAS have published a useful guide, 'Religion or Belief and the Workplace'.
For more information on how Kwintessential can help you with your training or education needs in relation to cross cultural and religious differences please contact us.
Related articles:
Islam in the Workplace - suggested practive for HR personnel.
World Religions - brief and useful information on the main world religions.
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