Navigating and Addressing Islamophobia in the Workplace
Learn practical tips on how to combat Islamophobia in the workplace.
In a diverse work environment in Canada or the USA, you are likely to have a colleague who identifies as Muslim. Muslims are not a monolith; we come from diverse backgrounds, races, and cultures around the world. With Islam being the fastest-growing religion globally, Canada is home to ~1.8 million Muslims.
Islamophobia directly translates to a fear of Muslims, but it is much more than that. It shows up as bias, prejudice, and discrimination and can be more accurately described as anti-Muslim. It can appear overtly, through comments about dress (e.g., hijab), food, prayer, assumptions about safety or “fit,” or in subtle ways like scheduling that repeatedly overlooks Muslim holy days. The impact is real: reduced psychological safety, disengagement, and avoidable turnover.
However, when leaders proactively address Islamophobia as part of diversity, equity and inclusion, they strengthen belonging and improve employee retention, decision-making, and team performance for their Muslim team members.
I am a Muslim woman who does not wear a hijab. That visibility/invisibility carries contradictions. In some rooms, I’m treated as the “safe” Muslim, until Islam becomes a topic of conversation. Then my visibility is centered as I’m asked to explain or defend Islam in meetings, classrooms, and boardrooms.
Recently, in a vendor meeting, I was asked to “reassure” a client by explaining why Muslim women cover. I was there to discuss deliverables, not to perform religion-on-demand! The ask wasn’t neutral because it reemphasized stereotypes, pulled me from my expertise, and made my belonging feel conditional. This is what Islamophobia in the workplace culture can look like.
How Islamophobia May Show Up in Workplaces (with examples)
1) Everyday bias (micro-aggressions)
Jokes, “curiosity” that crosses boundaries, stereotyping accents or names, tokenizing “the Muslim perspective.”
For example, “You’re fasting? I could never be productive like that,” can invalidate someone’s actual productivity.
2) Structural barriers
No quiet prayer space, inflexible breaks during Ramadan, meetings routinely set on Eid, dress codes that don’t account for hijab or modest attire.
For example: All-hands events or launches scheduled on Eid or during Friday prayer, with no virtual or alternate options.
3) Gatekeeping
Ensuring Muslim team members are “not client-facing”, thinking they “won’t fit the culture,” or vague security concerns used to block their advancement.
For example, leaders may host big-ticket relationship building events at bars or during Ramadan, then note a Muslim team member has “limited executive exposure.”
4) Policy gaps
Vague accommodation processes, no guidance for managers, or inconsistent application across teams.
For example, a 30-day notice policy for religious observance. Keeping in mind that Eid dates depend on the lunar calendar, these 30-day notice periods make advance notice impossible resulting in requests getting denied and employees having to choose between religious or work obligations.
These examples demonstrate how Islamophobia may show up in the workplace. When Islamophobia goes unaddressed:
Belonging and retention drop; employees disengage or leave.
Decision quality suffers; voices go quiet, groupthink rises.
Reputation risk grows with clients and partners.
The fix isn’t one-off training. It’s inclusive leadership training, diverse policy, and practice working together to create an inclusive workplace culture.
A Manager’s Playbook (10-minute micro-moves)
To build truly inclusive and safe organizations, here are some easy-to-implement action steps.
Meeting design for psychological safety: Share agendas 24 hours ahead; open with 2 minutes of silent write; collect written input before discussion; enforce no-interrupt norms.
Language norms: No one should be expected to defend Islam or speak for all Muslims. Say: “Let’s keep focus on the work. If we need cultural context, we’ll bring in appropriate resources.”
Calendar culture: Add Eid and major observances to shared calendars; avoid major launches on those dates.
Accommodations made simple: Add a “Prayer/Religious Observance” option in office leave requests; provide guidance for Ramadan workload and shift adjustments.
Sponsorship, not just mentorship: Proactively sponsor Muslim staff (hijabi and non-hijabi) into stretch roles; track who gets promotion opportunities.
Escalation clarity: Publish a 3-step path for reporting anti-Muslim hate with time-bound responses and restorative options.
Interested to learn more? Curated Leadership can help you with your Learning Journey.
Book a free discovery call, subscribe to our newsletter, and visit our other pages to find out how Curated Leadership can be your partner in establishing a more inclusive and psychologically safe workplace.
Don’t forget to listen to our Episode 1, The Myth of the Muslim Monolith, of Curated Conversations!
