The manifestations of religiosity increasingly present in the workplace

71.8% of the managers interviewed in the course of a study by the Institut Montaigne report having been confronted with "religion" in business.

The Institute Montaigne, a think-tank-independent, publishes this Thursday, his barometer 2019 of the religious fact in the company*, annual study he has held since 2013. If the religious is increasingly observed in business according to the interviewees, managers and employees are adapting to it more and more.

the facts Of religious "commoditized"

According to the report, 70% of respondents say they meet "regularly" (32%) or "occasionally" (38%) of the religious fact in the workplace. In 2018, they were 66%. "The presence of the religious fact in business is no longer outstanding. [...] This presence is unmarked, but it is not trivial," says the Institute Montaigne in his report.

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"90 % [of these requests] come from employees of the muslim faith," says Lionel Honoré, director of the Observatory of the religious fact in business. "20% of the situations that are marked by the fact of religion, with a heavy density, that is to say that religious facts are frequent - sometimes daily -, various, come, most often, groups of employees and lead to tensions and blockages that make it very difficult to find accommodation," says Lionel Honoré.

what facts do they speak ?

The most common concern work time, that is to say, absence and other adjustments of schedules (32%), the wearing of religious symbols ostentatious (29%), or prayer during the breaks (13%). In 7% of cases, these prayers are even made during the time of work.

Finally, 6% relate to the refusal to work with women, 2% are not wanting to be managed by women or shake their hands (5%).

How do the managers manage the conflict

The study indicates that an intervention by management is required in 54% of cases, compared to 51% in 2018, and "only a quarter in 2014". 19% of these cases generate conflicts or tensions (18% in 2018), and a minority of the cases (12%) which create malfunctions and it takes place in "a logic of refusal".

However, Lionel Honoré explains that a "very large majority of situations are better addressed and controlled by the employees and the management. "In 2013, many managers could shine in the face of a veiled woman, and show decided to send it back without discussion. Today, it is much appeased, the pragmatism is imposed".

so far, 44 % of companies affected by the religious fact not to put any device in place, such as an official regulation on religious issues.

Read our complete file

Religion in the workplace

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*opinion Survey with more than 1,100 managers, qualitative interviews within companies affected by these issues.