Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/632328
We Mean Business > d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 33 Year (around March 21) is the one that Fakhriyazdi consistently takes of from work. Even when she is in a supportive work environment, she still feels guilty and "incredibly sheepish" about asking for the day of. Similar to Weinstein's observation that her Jewish male col- leagues do not always share their female counterparts' hesitance to ask for time of, this is one area where Fakhriyazdi ob- serves her gender and religious identities intersecting. She suspects that her Bahá'í male colleagues don't feel guilty about asking for days of for observance. She believes that having a mentor or sponsor who backs you up when requesting time of can make a big diference in how in- cluded and respected any employee feels in the workplace. Fortunately, in Fakhriyazdi's case, her supervisors are supportive of her adjust- ing her schedule to attend various Bahá'í activities and holy day celebrations. Tat fexibility is a win-win: Fakhriyazdi is happier and more productive at work when she is able to maintain the balance that allows her to honor her religious commitments and fulfll her work re- sponsibilities at the same time. Flexibility is the key Stephanie Battaglino also feels that fex- ibility is essential. Part of her practice as a Christian is to pray and read scripture ev- ery day. But Battaglino's work as a corpo- rate vice president at a fnancial services company can be intense and demanding. To do her best work (and stay sane), she sometimes needs a moment away from her desk to refect or say a quick prayer. Happily for her, the company's culture al- lows her to take that time for herself to fulfll her spiritual needs. Tis is not the only way that Batta- glino's employer has supported an aspect of her identity. Ten years ago, Battaglino came out as transgender at the same company where she works today. Te supportive environment, alongside a strong nondiscrimination policy, made transitioning easier than it might have been elsewhere. She echoes Fakhriyazdi's sentiments about the importance of a supportive and inclusive work environ- ment. Both women recognize that bal- ancing their faith and work would have been more difcult with an employer that did not prioritize inclusiveness. Battaglino is also a sought-after consul- tant, trainer, and speaker. As the founder and owner of Follow Your Heart LLC, she presents at Fortune 500 companies all over the world, sharing the story of her transition and advising others on how to support trans employees. Battaglino's religious beliefs connect directly to her work with Follow Your Heart. "I really believe it's a calling," she says. "I believe God has blessed me with certain gifts." Religion and spirituality are a big part of what inspired her to create Follow Your Heart, and what continues to drive that work today. Battaglino was born and raised in the Catholic Church, and religion has always been a big part of her life. Today, she receives spiritual support from a nun whom she refers to simply as "Sister" and who works under the radar to sup- port trans people of faith. Sister, Batta- glino's spiritual director since 2008, helps her balance her religious needs with her work, particularly by encouraging her to take the time she needs during the work- day to refect. Battaglino has found that, in her pro- fessional life, her religious and gender identities rarely confict. She suspects that a lot of this has to do with the compa- nies she works for and with, all of whom support a culture of inclusion. As Batta- glino says, "Context matters in every- thing—and culture creates that context in the workplace." She knows that other trans people have been less fortunate in their places of work. "Te biggest mistake you can make is not creating an environ- ment where people feel like they're being heard," Battaglino says. So what can companies do to make sure their employees, regardless of gender, are supported in their religious identity? All the women agreed that fexibility and a culture of inclusion are key. When em- ployees are able to have the freedom to take days of for observance and holidays and have fexibility in their schedules to take prayer breaks and honor religious commitments outside (and within) the workday, they are empowered to do their best work. Te combination of institu- tional allowances for fexible scheduling and a culture where women feel comfort- able asking for what they need is a power- ful one. Recognizing the unaffiliated None of the women we interviewed are unafliated, but it is an important demo- graphic, and companies must be mindful of employees who are unafliated. All the women in this piece identify with a religious tradition, but according to the Pew Research Center, 23 percent of Americans are unafliated, meaning that they are atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular." Even employees who are unafliated may need accommodations. Some "unaf- fliated" people, for example, may identi- fy as spiritual but not religious and thus require days of for personal observances that do not coincide with a widely recog- nized religious holiday. Finally, companies can foster inclusion by providing educational opportunities around this topic to employees. Weinstein acknowledged that this can be tricky be- cause companies are "not always comfort- able holding events, trainings, or sessions that are about religion," even though they are crucial for raising awareness. Te more that employees of all faiths and none know about how religious diversity comes up in the workplace, the more likely they will be able to contribute to an inclusive working environment. DW Liz Joslin is an associate at the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding in New York. Tanenbaum is a secular, non- sectarian not-for-proft whose mission is to combat religious prejudice.