Summary
A study published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management has shed new light on the challenges faced by highly educated Muslim employees working in Western organizations. The research, conducted through 16 in-depth interviews with Moroccan-Dutch professionals across various sectors in the Netherlands, reveals that organizational structures remain predominantly “white”—rooted in Western, Caucasian, atheist, or Christian worldviews—creating both constraints and opportunities for Muslim employees.
The study found that Muslim employees engage in three distinct strategies when navigating these structures: adapting and negotiating, avoiding, and rejecting or resisting. These strategies manifest across four key religious practices that frequently create workplace tension: alcohol and food restrictions, Ramadan and holiday observances, daily prayers, and wearing the headscarf.
Key Findings:
- Flexibility is crucial: Employees who successfully balance their religious and professional identities often leverage flexible working arrangements
- Individual responsibility dominates: Most employees must proactively create space for their religious practices rather than relying on organizational accommodation
- Gender matters: Muslim women, particularly those wearing headscarves, face more complex identity challenges than their male counterparts
- Management support is vital: Open-minded managers who understand religious diversity can foster more inclusive workplaces
- The “skill paradox”: Highly educated minority workers may face unique discrimination due to perceived competition with local workers
The research challenges the assumption that religious diversity is effectively managed in Western organizations. It highlights the need for HR policies that recognize the “whiteness” embedded in organizational structures and suggests practical accommodations, from flexible scheduling to diverse management representation.
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The Hidden Reality of Faith in the Workplace
The Paradox of Professional Identity
Amsterdam, Netherlands — When Zinedine, a 43-year-old IT professional, attends his company’s after-work social gatherings, he faces a dilemma that many of his colleagues never consider. As a Muslim, he does not consume alcohol. Yet these gatherings—a cornerstone of Dutch workplace culture—revolve around drinks. His solution? He attends for the networking opportunities while simply not drinking.
“I think it is a matter of understanding what it is all about,” Zinedine explains. “Also within such occasions you have the freedom to be yourself.”
This quiet negotiation of identity represents a daily reality for thousands of highly educated Muslim employees in the Netherlands, as documented in a seminal study by Berger, Essers, and Himi. Their research, which examined the experiences of Moroccan-Dutch professionals, reveals that the seemingly neutral structures of Western organizations are anything but.
What Defines a “White” Organization?
The term “white organization” might sound provocative, yet the researchers use it with specific meaning. They describe workplaces whose cultural foundations—from holiday schedules to food options—remain rooted in Western, Caucasian, atheist, or Christian worldviews. These structures, the study argues, are not inherently discriminatory but create friction points when employees bring different religious practices into the workplace.
“Whiteness is deeply embedded in economic and political structures,” the researchers note. “It forms a basis for identity construction relative to minority Others but at the same time is mostly invisible for those with ‘white privilege’.”
This invisibility creates a significant burden: the onus for accommodation falls on minority employees rather than organizations. Mustapha, a 38-year-old project manager, captures this sentiment bluntly: “There is space for others, but you have to make it yourself. Don’t expect that there is a manager who will think about your needs for a prayer room.”
Four Flashpoints of Conflict
Table 1: Islamic Practices and Workplace Tensions
| Islamic Practice | Organizational Norm | Common Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Halal food and non-alcohol drinks | Social gatherings with alcohol; pork in meals | Muslim employees must navigate whether to attend events; some feel forced to justify their choices |
| Ramadan and holidays | Dutch holidays (Christmas, Sinterklaas) are official; Islamic holidays require personal leave | Employees must request time off for Eid celebrations; some compromise availability |
| Daily prayers | Fixed work schedules; no dedicated prayer space | Employees use flexibility to pray during breaks or create alternative solutions |
| Wearing a headscarf | Unstated “white” norms about professional appearance | Women face explicit reactions to headscarves; some avoid wearing them due to fear of exclusion |
Alcohol and Food: The Social Minefield
For many Muslim employees, social gatherings with alcohol present the most visible and persistent workplace challenge. The research found that women face particularly complex identity work in these situations. Najat, a 37-year-old kindergarten director, describes her internal negotiation:
“You are constantly in conflict with yourself… what is found to be normal but you think to yourself ‘should I do it? Is it wise?'” Her solution involves justifying her attendance by emphasizing her good intentions and the value of “honest living.” Yet she remains aware of potential judgment: “I think that if an outsider would want to judge me, then I’m a bad Muslim or a bad Moroccan.”
The researchers identified three strategies that employees use to handle such dilemmas.
Table 2: Employee Coping Strategies
| Strategy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adapting and Negotiating | Employees modify their religious practices to fit workplace norms while maintaining core beliefs | Attending social events but not drinking alcohol; negotiating flexible hours for Ramadan |
| Avoiding | Employees steer clear of situations where conflicts could arise | Choosing not to wear a headscarf; skipping after-work drinks |
| Rejecting and Resisting | Employees refuse to comply with practices that conflict with their religious values | Leaving an event where food requirements aren’t met; challenging workplace policies |
Ramadan and Holidays: The “Other” Calendar
Dutch organizations officially recognize Christian holidays. Islamic holidays like Eid al-Fitr require employees to take personal leave. While most interviewees accepted this arrangement, it represents a subtle form of “otherness.” One employee, Nasim, noted that increased familiarity with Islamic practices has led to greater acceptance: “People know at a certain point when it is Eid al-Fitr and people do not find it strange anymore that you take a day off.”
Prayer and Flexibility
The practice of praying five times daily presents a practical challenge for devout Muslims in standard office environments. The researchers found that flexibility in working hours can provide solutions, but employees must often create their own accommodations. Zinedine describes his approach: “Sometimes I try to do it on time, and if you’re in an organization in which that is difficult, then you try to find a solution… You do try to deal with it creatively.”
The Headscarf: Visible Faith, Visible Challenges
Perhaps the most emotionally charged issue is the wearing of the headscarf. Naima, a 26-year-old debt counselor, recalls her colleagues’ reactions: “The day I started wearing a headscarf, everyone was in shock. They found it very strange, very odd, very weird. Why would you do such a thing?”
Other women choose to avoid the headscarf entirely to prevent conflict. Soumia, a financial controller, admits: “I think that many would find it very strange… Yet I don’t do it, because I still find it very hard somehow.”
The “Skill Paradox” and Its Implications
A Nuanced Picture of Muslim Professionals
The study specifically focused on highly educated Muslim workers, challenging common assumptions. Popular discourse often frames Muslim workers as lower-skilled immigrants, yet many hold advanced degrees and professional positions. The researchers suggest that skilled minority workers face unique challenges—the “skill paradox” —where their educational success may trigger discrimination from local workers who view them as threats.
This finding has significant implications. HR professionals must recognize that accommodating religious diversity is not just about fairness but about retaining valuable talent.
The Role of Management
Management support emerges as crucial for inclusive workplaces. The study found that open-minded managers who have experience with diversity can foster more accepting environments. However, the researchers caution that diversity-focused management alone does not guarantee inclusivity. The approach to diversity management matters: corporate and mainstream approaches may inadvertently sustain “white” norms rather than challenging them.
What This Means for Employers
Practical Steps for More Inclusive Workplaces
The research suggests several concrete actions organizations can take:
- Flexible scheduling: Allow employees to adjust work hours for prayer times or Ramadan observances
- Accommodate holidays: Recognize that employees may need time off for non-Western holidays
- Inclusive food options: Consider dietary needs for company meals
- Understand social gatherings: Emphasize the social nature of events over drinking
- Support diversity training: Educate managers about religious diversity and its practical implications
“To create an organizational environment in which employees with diverse religious backgrounds can prosper, an inclusive HRM policy can be built and implemented,” the researchers conclude. “This culture would enhance how organizations include and accommodate all their employees.”
Looking Ahead
The Need for Further Research
The researchers acknowledge several areas for future study. The impact of negative public discourse on Islam—particularly in the Dutch context—warrants deeper exploration. Additionally, comparing different Muslim ethnic groups could illuminate how varying social positions affect workplace experiences. Gender, too, deserves more explicit attention, as female Muslim employees face distinct challenges at the intersection of faith, ethnicity, and professional identity.
A Broader European Context
While focused on the Netherlands, the study’s findings resonate across Europe. With approximately 50 million Muslims now resident in EU nations—about 6% of the total population—the challenges of accommodating religious diversity in the workplace will only grow. The researchers’ framework offers a starting point for understanding how structural change might create more inclusive organizations.
Conclusion
The study by Berger, Essers, and Himi illuminates a reality that many Muslim professionals navigate daily: the quiet negotiation of faith and profession within organizational structures that were never designed with them in mind. Their research demonstrates that employees are not passive recipients of workplace cultures but active agents who adapt, avoid, or resist practices that conflict with their values.
For organizations, the message is clear. As workforces become more diverse, the “white” structures that once went unquestioned must evolve. The cost of failing to adapt is not just individual discomfort but the potential loss of talented employees. As Mustapha notes: “If you frame it wisely, tactically… you can change many things.” The question is whether organizations will wait for employees like him to initiate that change or whether they will lead the way themselves.
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