Rozee Asks: Ramzan Timings In The Workplace

June 28, 2016

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The holy month of Ramzan is a celebrated event that is observed across the Muslim world and beyond. Every year, people all over the world fast throughout the day, and enjoy the blessings that Ramzan has to offer, both on a material and spiritual level. This year, ROZEE.PK took the opportunity to ask professionals of their opinions on how organizations should shuffle their work timings in Ramzan to maximize both productivity and personal commitments. Here’s what some of our contributors had to say:

Even though the month of Ramazan is perceived to be quite strenuous and backbreaking; with nothing to munch on, sip, or any shape or form of an “interval” one would take other wise, I strongly feel what I’m saying is too cliched. Honestly, if you think about it, Ramazan is a personal state of mind. Every individual should decide how he or she will treat it. It really isn’t the end of the world and should not be made as one. Similarly, organizations mustn’t use the excuse of “Ramazan” to defend their inefficiency. Best is to start the day as early as possible in the morning and finish off by noon or perhaps 2 pm max. That way, employees start their work day afresh in the morning and finish off early afternoon. They get time to pray, catch up on their sleep a little, socialize, basically do whatever they want to do with the rest of their day, evening and night.

Amna Saleem
Editor-in-Chief,
Women’s Own Magazine

“Ramzan is a month of endless blessings, and the Almighty’s bounties are bestowed upon every Muslim. Thus, people generally indulge in more religious activities, and therefore, a little more time is required by individuals to attend to such obligations. Hence, in my opinion, organizations should strike a balance by offering flexible hours with a set of core hours so every individual can adjust their timings accordingly. Some people prefer coming earlier in the day, and some later; hence, this formula could suit all with, let’s say, 4-hours fixed in the day, and the rest can be built around these four morning or afternoon hours to meet the minimum number of hours/week requirement of the organization.”

Asad Rizvi
Executive Director
Adcom Leo Burnett
Islamabad – Pakistan

“They [the organization] should definitely reduce work hours. They can consider letting employees work from home for, say 5 or 10 working days during that month (but make sure employees actually do work from home). They can consider keeping flexible work hours – for example, in the UAE, work hours are reduced to 9:00AM-to-3:00PM… my company allows us to come and leave anytime, provided we complete 6 mandatory hours of work… so sometimes I go in at 11AM and leave at 5PM…

Other than this, I don’t feel Ramzan should become a big deal, because the whole concept in religion is to go about your usual routine, yet practice self-control…”

Sakina Mannan

“Personally I have been following Ramzan regularly in London for the past 8 years now. According to my contract, I am required to work 8 hours/week. During the holy month of Ramzan, I do not take lunch breaks, so in lieu of that, I finish an hour early. My production and efficiency hasn’t been effected. In fact, weekdays are easier, as one stays busy, as compared to weekends. So unless the job requires physical strenuous labour, I don’t think there is a need for the organization to shuffle timings.”