It’s currently Ramadan, which runs from April 13 to the evening of May 12, 2021. If you’re Muslim, you’ve probably been looking forward to this time to reflect on life, but if you’re not, it may not be something you are thinking about. But, if you’re working with someone observing Ramadan by fasting, some etiquette issues will help make it a better time for everyone.
I wrote about business Ramadan etiquette a few years ago, but when I went to tweet the article, I wondered if Ramadan in the Covid-era required any special attention. I reached out to Nehad (Neesy) Mohanna. Mohanna is an American-Egyptian Muslim who spent 20 years as an engineer in the corporate world, working in the US and Egypt, and now owns her own health and wellness business in Switzerland.
It’s all about boundaries.
The biggest issue in Covid times is not whether to invite your fasting coworker to lunch (although she says her advice still stands–invite the person and let them decide if they want to come or not), but how to set boundaries.