7 Steps To Motivate Fasting Employees In Ramadan During COVID-19

Ramadan is the best time of the year for many Muslims, but with the existence of COVID-19 and work obstacles, it might be a little bit different.

Working under the circumstances of Ramadan and COVID-19 might not be the best for Muslim employees, as they need extra support and motivation throughout this time.

The lack of food and the pandemic anxiety affect your employees' productivity and hinder their determination; that's why we are here to tell you about seven steps to motivate them during Ramadan and COVID-19.

1- Allow flexible working

Many Muslims need to leave work early to prepare for the Iftar meal. Also, if the working hours go past Maghrib prayer, it's better to let them break their fasting at home instead of work.

Ramadan is more about family gatherings and Muslims having Iftar with their loved ones, so give them the chance to enjoy it. Additionally, consider that their productivity levels are affected by fasting, so give your employees the space to choose when to work.

Don't forget about coronavirus, as many people don't feel safe working from the office. Moreover, consider that schools are mostly closed because of the pandemic. Many families need to be working from home to take care of kids.

2- Focus on health and safety

Employers should consider that Muslim employees don't get food or fluids during the day. That causes a decrease in concentration and energy levels.

As an employer, pay attention to the roles of employees. Some of their missions may include heavy machinery or exhausting tasks. Also, take care if their concentration may affect the safety of others like being a car driver or a pilot.

COVID-19 also requires health and safety procedures. Don't forget about providing hand sanitizers in your workplace. Moreover, it's necessary to apply wearing masks and social distancing among employees.

3- Consider Ramadan gifts

With the existence of COVID-19, a lot of people are financially affected. The pandemic caused income instability, and many families face money problems recently.

Muslims need certain essentials every Ramadan to make the best out of the month. Some families cannot afford these supplies because of the dire financial status.

As an employer, it's necessary to consider providing Muslim employees with Ramadan essentials as a gift. That would express your appreciation to them and also help boost their financial and mental state.

4- Write motivational quotes

The idea of motivating your employees by writing quotes might seem strange to you, but it's effective. Throughout the tiredness of fasting and the anxiety of the pandemic, any little action might have a considerable effect.

Read the employees' personalities and find out what suits every one of them the best. You can consider writing quotes about the reward of fasting or the happiness of achieving goals.

Personalize the quotes because that shows how much you genuinely care about your employees. It has been proven that motivational acts like that increase employees' productivity and creates a better sense of belonging to their workplace.

For more information about creating a sense of belonging to the workplace, click here.

5- Pay attention to workload

Muslim employees don't have much capacity for performing challenging tasks in Ramadan. Please don't add to their workload and consider the tiredness they're facing throughout the day.

Some jobs require a lot of physical effort or mental attention. Keep in mind that Muslim employees need more rests in Ramadan to perform their tasks efficiently.

Additionally, don't ignore any signs that indicate that employees are facing danger. Some of them might feel dizzy because of low blood pressure. Let them rest, and don't risk your employees' lives.

6- Limit outside meetings

Moving from a place to another consumes a lot of energy and time, which is not the best thing for fasting employees. Additionally, gatherings and meeting a lot of people are not the safest during COVID-19.

Try to find other alternatives for outside meetings. You can go for online discussions or even phone calls. The whole world now uses these methods due to the pandemic.

That will also save a lot of your employees' time and help them concentrate more on the work instead of wasting their energy.

7- Stay positive

We understand that employers take a lot of responsibility, which may cause them high-stress levels. Please pay attention that you're the backbone of your business and employees.

Take care of yourself first, and consider boosting your physical and mental health. We know how much it's hard to balance work and life, but try your best to achieve that.

Also, pandemic time is hard for all of us, so don't be harsh on yourself or your employees.

Eventually, hard times bring out the best of any successful leader. The existence of Ramadan and COVID-19 is a unique chance for you to show the best of your leading skills as an employer.