3 steps to boosting staff productivity during Ramadan

Photo: Alex Brylov / Shutterstock.com

If you're a business operating in a Muslim-majority country, you are probably struggling with staff productivity and performance during the month of Ramadan. The majority of your fasting employees are tired and sleepy, and work seems to slow down. If you are a business owner or manager and happen to be Muslim and fasting, you’ll understand the challenges of long fasting hours and late-night prayers (as well as social gatherings) during the month, so you may be able to sympathize with your employees—but deep down, perhaps you feel that more can be done to improve staff productivity. And if you’re a non-Muslim business owner or manager, then you may find it challenging to find the right balance between asking staff to tend to business needs and coming across as insensitive to the cultural and social implications of the holy month.

"The productivity of workers declines in the holy month by 35–50% as a result of shorter working hours and the change in behavior during this month” Source: BBC