8 Ways employers can support staff impacted by the Israel-Hamas war
The escalating conflict in the Middle East is deeply distressing and is having major global ramifications, with the Met police reporting a huge increase in anti-Semitic and islamophobic incidents here in the UK.
Whether they have close connections to the region or not, Jewish and Muslim employees will undoubtedly be impacted. With conversations about the war likely taking place in the workplace, employers have a duty of care to ensure that they are protected and feel safe.
Here are 8 steps employers can take to support their their employees as this situation unfolds:
Acknowledge the impact that the war will be having on some employees. In doing so, be aware that this conflict has a very long and complex history, spanning thousands of years. Many of us will never fully understand its deep roots and unique context.
Voice support for Jewish and Muslim employees. Share a message from the leadership team, making it abundantly clear that racism, intimidation and isolation is unequivocally unacceptable and have serious legal ramifications.
Highlight the importance of only using inclusive language. Advise employees not to use charged language that could marginalise, vilify or demonise Jews or Muslims. This includes referencing harmful stereotypes and tropes. (We’ll be sharing a more extensive guide to inclusive language soon, please leave a comment if you’d like to receive it.)
Check in with colleagues and encourage managers to do the same. Reaching out privately to anyone that you know has connections in the region can make all the difference. Remember not to make assumptions about their feelings or point of view - within the Jewish and Muslim communities there are a range of different standpoints and opinions. The key is to simply listen and show that you care.
Seek to understand and respect boundaries. Find out how employees would like to be supported going forwards. Some may want to talk about it, but others may not. Ask them if/when they would like you to check in with them again and make sure they know what support resources are available to them.
Set up employee networks. You might already have employee networks set up for other groups, but do you have them for your Jewish and Muslim employees? If not, now is a good time to enable these employees to come together in a safe space and support each other. (If employee networks are new to your organisation and you’d like to explore how they work, please get in touch.
Offer flexible working. Whether this is extra breaks to allow employees to make phone calls to loved ones in the region, or increased working from home to preserve mental energy, increasing flexibility may alleviate pressure for those directly affected.
Ensure that your policies are clear and easily accessible. Everyone in the organisation should know how to raise concerns about inappropriate behaviour and what this process entails. Reiterate that anyone can speak out confidentially and without fear of repercussions.
If you need support in enhancing your ED+I processes, please do get in touch with us via our contact page.