Region's professionals love Ramadan: poll

Time was when people used to complain about how work slowed down in Ramadan. Not any more. A new poll shows that an overwhelming majority of professionals in the Middle East and North Africa – 86.8 per cent – now rank the holy month as one of their favourite times of the year.

Part of this could be because Ramadan boosts social interactions – and that spirit carries from home to the workplace. More than half of all respondents (53.7 per cent) said they socialize more than usual with their colleagues during the season.

In keeping with a heightened morale and a more sociable atmosphere at work, a slightly higher percentage (56.3 per cent ) of Mena professionals believe that there is a noticeable increase in their company’s charitable activity during Ramadan.

The findings were part of the new Bayt.com “Ramadan in the Middle East Workplace” poll. Conducted over two weeks in May, results are based on a sample of 3,660 respondents from more than 15 countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Lebanon.

With a favourable workplace atmosphere during the holy month, responses are fairly evenly split when it comes to taking time off from work. While 53.7 per cent  of respondents say that they do not take time off during Ramadan, 46.3 per cent  say that they do at least occasionally. Similarly, just over half (56.9 per cent) of respondents travel on the Eid break while the rest (43.1 per cent) do not.

Of course, Ramadan sentiments of illumination and compassion are evident in MENA professionals’ personal lives as well.

The vast majority (96.1 per cent) of respondents say that they use Ramadan to reflect on their life and become a better person, and almost as many respondents (94.9 per cent) say that they personally give more to charity during the holy month.

Additionally, more than eight in ten (81.1 per cent) Mena professionals feel that they see more family and friends during Ramadan and a slightly higher number (83.1 per cent) believe that their lifestyle habits are healthier for the month.

It’s evident that Ramadan has many positive effects on the Mena region, lifting people’s spirits and enabling their generosity—and these can be seen in many ways in the workplace.

“There are substantial changes in the Mena workplace during the month of Ramadan, and it is important for both employers, employees and job seekers to have a clear view of what to expect during this time. It is interesting that more than 3 in every five respondents believe that their morale is lifted during Ramadan, which is something employers can use to build employee loyalty, engagement, and retention,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com.