A great place to start if you’re just beginning to address religious diversity is by assessing where your organization is right now. Use this checklist to figure out where you stand.

POLICIES

• Does your company have an official policy regarding diversity?
• Does your company’s diversity policy specifically include religious diversity?
• Does your company have a method of communicating this policy to employees and the public (through the employee handbook, information packets, etc.)?
• Do you know the general religious demographics of your employees?

HOLIDAYS/TIME OFF

• Does your company have a clearly articulated policy regarding religious holiday leave (paid or unpaid)?
• Is this policy clearly explained to employees (in the employee handbook, information packets, etc.)?
• Do you have an avenue of communication between employees and management to address scheduling conflicts resulting from religious needs and to find coworkers who can cover or switch shifts?
• Does management take into account employees’ various religious holidays when planning meetings, workshops, trips, dinners, etc.?
• Does your company hold any holiday-related events?
• Does management take into account the different faiths of employees when planning these holiday events?

DRESS

• Does your company have a dress code?
• Is this dress code communicated to all employees (through the employee handbook, information packets, etc.)?
• If an employee’s religious practice conflicts with the dress code, does the company have policies in place regarding attire accommodations?
• Do employees know what avenues are available to them for communicating with management regarding their special religious attire needs?

FOOD

• Does your company provide food for employees (in the cafeteria, through an office discount meal program, etc.)?
• Do these meals accommodate the unique religious and ethical needs of your employees (kosher, halal, vegetarian, etc.)?
• Does your company hold special events involving food and/or drink (banquets, dinner meetings, cocktail parties, etc.)?
• Do these special events accommodate the unique religious and ethical needs of your employees (kosher, halal, vegetarian, etc.)?

EMPLOYEE NETWORKS

• Does your company allow the formation of on-site affinity groups (employee networks)?
• Does your company allow the formation of on-site religion-based affinity groups?
• Does your company clearly communicate the policy regarding these groups and their relationship to the company as a whole (whether through the employee handbook, information packets, etc.)?

OFFICE SPACE

• Does your company have a policy regarding the decoration of personal workspace (within an office/cubical, walls in public areas, the employee lounge, etc.)?
• Does this policy include religious decoration?
• Does your company clearly explain this policy to employees (through the employee handbook, information packets, etc.)?
• Does your company allow special decoration of office space for holidays (Christmas party decorations, Hanukkah decorations, etc.)?
• Do these decorations accommodate the needs of a religiously and culturally diverse employee base?
• Do your employees have avenues to communicate their reactions to these decorations?

RELIGIOUS PRACTICE

• Does your company allow religious practice in the workplace (prayer, meditation, etc.)?
• Does your company effectively communicate its policy regarding religious practice in the workplace to the employees (through the employee handbook, information packets, etc)?
• Do your employees have avenues of communication by which they can express their specific religious practice needs?