Working through Ramadan in a non-Muslim majority office — what's helped
by Omar Subhi·May 22, 2026
I work at a company where about 30% of the team is Muslim. During Ramadan, here's what I've observed from both sides of the experience.
From my Muslim colleagues: The hardest part is usually not the fasting itself — it's when non-Muslim colleagues schedule working lunches or long afternoon meetings without realising the energy dip after Zuhur is real. Small adjustments like moving heavy-thinking meetings to mornings help a lot.
Practical things non-Muslim colleagues can do:
- Eat lunch away from the desk area rather than in shared spaces if possible
- Don't ask fasting colleagues to "just try a bite" of food at office events
- Be flexible with deadlines that fall right at buka puasa time
What's worked at my company: A quick Ramadan note at the start of the month from management acknowledging the month and encouraging schedule flexibility. Takes 5 minutes to write, makes a meaningful difference.