Eid-Al-Fitr 2024 not only marks the end of Ramadan, a month filled with prayers, fasting, feasting, and gratitude for life's blessings big and small, but also serves as a wonderful time to celebrate family, friendships, and community. Additionally, Eid-Al-Fitr is a time to foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among colleagues within workplaces. Organisations in the Middle East foster strong inclusivity among their diverse workforce during festivities, providing valuable lessons for us to learn from. How do they do it? We have highlighted some of the initiatives that Middle East organisations implement to foster inclusivity in the workplaces. 

How Middle East organisations celebrate inclusive Eid-Al-Fitr

#1 Communicating Eid-Al-Fitr festivities - To ensure all employees feel valued and included, organisations send inclusive messaging and communications around Eid-Al-Fitr celebrations. This involves recognizing and celebrating the diversity of the workforce by highlighting Eid-Al-Fitr greetings in company newsletters, social media posts, or internal communications. Additionally, organisations inform clients, customers, and other stakeholders via public notices about the closure of operations during the celebrations, thus preventing any work requests for employees during this time.

#2 Holidays and support for all employees - Implementing a company-wide Eid-Al-Fitr holiday or allowing employees to use their vacation days to observe the holiday. Additionally, extending support and offering resources for employees who may need time off for travel to visit family or attend religious gatherings during Eid-Al-Fitr, as this holiday spans several days.

#3 Eid Bonus to all employees - Eidi or Eidhi is a cultural tradition observed by Muslims on the day of Eid-Al-Fitr, involving the giving of gifts or money to family or friends. Providing Eid bonuses or gifts to all employees as a gesture of appreciation for their support during the holy month of Ramadan demonstrates inclusivity for all employees. Many organisations include Eidi bonuses as part of that month’s salary, while others send them on the day of Eid-Al-Fitr. Some organisations opt to provide gift hampers or vouchers for shopping, dinner, or celebratory events (fireworks, concerts or musicals) beforehand.

#4 Eid-Al-Fitr feast - Hosting Eid-Al-Fitr gatherings or dinners that welcome all employees, regardless of their religious background, and ensuring that Eid-Al-Fitr feasts are inclusive of employees with dietary restrictions or preferences by offering a variety of food options.

#5 Culture of collaboration - Eid-Al-Fitr marks celebrations of generosity and hospitality in the Middle East. Organisations celebrate an inclusive Eid-Al-Fitr for all employees, bringing everyone together and encouraging Muslim colleagues to share their traditions and customs with their co-workers. This includes hosting cultural exchange events where employees share traditional Eid-Al-Fitr dishes, customs, or clothing with their colleagues. Additionally, organisations collaborate with local cultural committees or foundations to host educational events about cultural celebrations, uniting workers in celebrating Eid-Al-Fitr.

You may also like:

• Discover why transforming your workplace culture is essential
• Best books for transforming workplace culture in 2024
• Cost-effective reward and recognition strategies to boost employee experience

#6 Charities - The month of Ramadan also signifies the importance of giving. By organising charity events during Eid-Al-Fitr, organisations have the opportunity to give back to the community and promote the spirit of generosity. Zakat-Al-Fitr or Fitrana is a common tradition followed by Muslims worldwide before Eid prayers. Organising charities on the morning of Eid where all employees can participate helps raise awareness about this tradition. Partnering with local mosques or community organisations to offer support services or events for employees during Eid-Al-Fitr enhances the celebration.

#7 Warm welcome - Post-Eid, employees return to normal business affairs, but with the lingering effects of Ramadan and Eid-Al-Fitr. To help them settle in, organisations extend support such as flexible work hours and well-being assistance, enabling them to resume work without additional stress. Additionally, organisations continue to foster camaraderie by organising post-Eid potlucks, recognition and appreciation gatherings, and conducting ongoing awareness campaigns for cultural understanding, benefiting not just Muslims but all employees working together.

#Bonus: Global construction company Keller in the Middle East shared Eid greetings in a unique way by asking their colleague in the region to share the significance of Eid and why it is important to Muslims via a LinkedIn post. 

Eid Mubarak! As we bid farewell to the holy month of revelations, blessings, prayers, fasting, and feasting, let us carry the spirit of collaboration, support, and care, throughout the year.