Overview
- The institute's 11th barometer, published July 8, found about 79% of employees report observing religious manifestations at work, up from 71.3% in 2024 and 66.7% in 2022.
- Wearing visible religious signs is the most common form of expression, cited by roughly half of respondents, after increasing from 34% in 2024 to about 50% in 2026.
- The survey says most observed acts are judged 'not very disruptive,' but around a quarter of situations now involve tensions that can challenge managers on the spot.
- Many employers remain reactive and few offer formal training on handling religion at work, while some firms have written neutrality clauses or safety-based bans such as Feuille d'Érable's 2020 rule.
- The report notes a disproportionate share of observed incidents involve Islam and a growing feminization of cases, trends that could raise legal and social debates over laïcité and equal-treatment obligations.