Understanding hijab inclusion in the workplace

Does the UK ban hijab in the workplace?

The UK does not ban hijab in the workplace. Despite the ruling of the CJEU, the same laws don’t apply in the UK. For starters, the UK courts are no longer bound by EU court decisions following Brexit. But even if they were, the CJEU ruling simply allows member states to prohibit religious symbols in work; it doesn’t obligate them to.

As such, the UK wouldn’t adopt the approach potentially taken in some EU member states. In fact, the Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on grounds of their religion or belief. This includes if an employer were to ban hijab in the workplace.

So whilst there is protection in the UK, inclusive workplaces should strive to go beyond the basics of the legal line, and encode hijab inclusion in workplace culture and policy. It is through this that more Muslim women who wish to express this part of their faith, and who wish to pursue their careers, will not find themselves at odds between these two parts of themselves. An inclusive workplace can make space for pioneers, vanguards, and dynamic leaders.

The hijab trailblazers

Notable women in hijab that we have seen push the boundaries through sheer will of existence and representation are found in all workplaces. We have seen a catalogue of firsts when it comes to representation.

In sport, we see the likes of Ibtihaj Muhammed, acclaimed Olympic medallist in fencing, who made history in 2016 as the first ever American to participate in the Olympics in hijab; Zahra Lahri who at 17 years old became the first ever figure skater to compete professionally internationally in hijab; and, Nouhaila Benzina who made history in 2023 as the first football player to ever compete in a hijab at the World Cup. Religious head coverings had been banned by FIFA until 2014.

Across other sectors too, in law, we saw Raffia Arshad become the first ever UK appointed judge. In fashion, we have seen Mariah Idrissi, who in 2015 became the first ever woman to wear hijab in a western fashion campaign via H&M. Also in 2015 but in television news, Ginella Massa became the first hijab-wearing television reporter in Canadian history.

The relative recency of all these firsts shows there is still work to be done when it comes to the normalisation of hijab in the public domain. By doing so, we encourage the fullness of hijab observing women to be centred. By existing where their presence is “unexpected”, these women are a powerful reminder that they can “take up space” in important rooms and how a woman’s decision to dress as she pleases is solely her business.

How colleagues and line managers can support those who wear hijab in the workplace

When we think of an inclusive culture where we remove the obstacles for all people to achieve their potential, recognising the potential fatigue of many hijab wearing women is important. To oscillate between the many different contradictions placed upon them, from pity, to anger, to shaming, to indifference, many who wear hijab will face an added layer of world weariness. Recognising the importance of intersectionality is therefore crucial.

Don’t assume a Muslim woman’s religiosity depending on whether she observes the hijab or not. Hijab is one form of expression, everyone will have a different relationship with it, just as every person’s faith journey will look different. Centre the person and be an ally. Nothing speaks louder than how you treat people.

Recognising multidimensionality of Muslim women who observe hijab

It is important we recognise that one identifier of a person is not their only one, for workplaces to be spaces for the full richness of a person’s creativity and ability, we must see each other as a sum of our parts. To hijab-wearing women in the workplace, allow yourself multidimensionality, you are not one emotion, one trait, one story. You are a million experiences and a million pieces.

When there are times when societal conditioning may have you questioning “Do I deserve this success/promotion/space” Am I worthy of this?” – challenge that premise of imposter as irrelevant. The only question should be: “Do I want this?” And a healthy culture of workplace belonging will mean there would be no other obstacles.

By starting with this as your foundation it opens up the abundance of ways your workplace can be a safer, more productive and exciting place of inclusion for hijab wearing women. Invest in these to remove the often unspoken stigma that surrounds this deeply important topic.

At Inclusive Employers we can support you with bespoke interventions, whether that’s hijab related training sessions, policy review, one-to-one coaching, wellbeing and mental health, or line manager support, get in touch.