Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Bullying and harassmentEquality, diversity and inclusionLatest NewsReligionUnconscious bias

Many Christians feel unable to express religious identity at work

by Ashleigh Webber 14 Dec 2022
by Ashleigh Webber 14 Dec 2022 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Despite being the most common religion in the UK, many Christian employees feel unable to comfortably express their religious identity at work, with some experiencing negative stereotyping or ridicule from colleagues.

Research carried out by and D&I consultancy Pearn Kandola found that 82% of UK-based Christian employees who would normally wear religous dress or symbols do not do so at work, and 66% of those that do feel uncomfortable doing so.

Only 55% agree their organisation is happy for them to take time off for religious festivals, and 43% say the same of their line manager.

Half (48%) feel their organisation could do more to make employees feel comfortable wearing religious dress or symbols.

Religious expression at work

Christian nurse dismissed for wearing cross necklace wins discrimination claim

Lack of inclusion blights working lives of many UK Hindus

Qualitative research involving Christian workers in the UK and US found some had been ridiculed or experienced antagonism because of their religious beliefs, which sometimes went unchallenged by their employer.

One said: “I have only told my very closest friends the depth of my beliefs because of the way the vast majority of the staff there have ridiculed religion so publicly and so viciously.”

Other examples of negative experiences at work included colleagues saying disparaging things about Christians, and workers hiding their religious identity because they feared it might cause offence or prompt potentially contentious discussions.

The Religion at work: experiences of Christian employees report finds that the barriers to religious expression include:

  • a lack of clear guidelines and policies around religious expression, combined with a workplace culture that does not encourage religious observance
  • a lack of interest from managers and coworkers in relation to discussing religion
  • religious observance not being accomodated by employers, including some respondents being required to work during hours they would usually attend worship services
  • restrictions in their role. For example, teachers are required to remain impartial at work, which limits their ability to express their beliefs.

It makes several recommendations for employers, including:

  • ensuring that inclusion is embraced at all levels, which will create an open, welcoming, supportive and respectful organisation
  • increasing diversity to help people from religious groups to feel less isolated and more comfortable in expressing their beliefs
  • improving understanding around religious diversity, including events that give employees an opportunity to learn about different beliefs
  • accomodating religious observance by being flexible about Sunday working, as many Christians regard Sunday as a day of rest and worship, and providing prayer facilities
  • developing guidelines to clarify the extent to which employees can express their religious observance
  • normalising religious discussion while respecting individuals’ preference not to express their beliefs.

Binna Kandola, business psychologist and co-founder of Pearn Kandola, said: “The census recently found that for the first time, less than half of the UK described themselves as Christian. While a higher proportion of people still practise Christianity, many Christians are in fact facing similar issues as those of other minority religions. As our research revealed, they are not exempt from negative experiences at work, such as those involving discrimination and stereotyping.“

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The quantitative survey involved 523 UK employees, while the qualitative research involved 110 people across the UK and US.

Pearn Kandola recently carried out similar research into the workplace experiences of Hindus in the UK.

D&I opportunities currently on PT Jobs


More D&I jobs
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Care home wins ‘no jab, no job’ case
next post
Nurses begin biggest strike in history

You may also like

Law firm HR professional embroiled in ‘anti-Islam’ row

12 Mar 2025

Top 10 HR questions February 2025: Supporting employees...

4 Mar 2025

Ramadan in the workplace: top tips for employers

21 Feb 2025

Free speech: Kristie Higgs triumphs at Court of...

12 Feb 2025

Higgs’ victory has ‘profound’ implications for employers

12 Feb 2025

Christmas leave: should HR enforce a ‘Christmas shutdown’?

18 Dec 2024

Church of England: lack of role models hinders...

6 Nov 2024

Christian wins discrimination claim after job offer rescinded...

1 Jul 2024

Top 10 HR questions March 2024: Ramadan, carer’s...

3 Apr 2024

Women and ethnic minorities ‘on B roads’ to...

5 Mar 2024

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+