Guidelines for Addressing Women in the Workplace

Question:
He says: We work in a public place, and our work requires us to speak with women and address them. What is your advice to us?

Answer:
Looking at women, speaking with them, and addressing them have conditions. The first condition is that it be done behind a barrier. The second condition is that there be no submission in speech. The third condition is that the speech be limited to what is necessary. A man speaking to a woman and a woman speaking to a man is originally prohibited, because a woman’s voice is an awrah (part of the body that must be covered). Therefore, what is permissible of it must be restricted by these limits.
However, if a person is in a job that requires this, my advice to him is to leave that place for another where there is no addressing of women, as much as possible. If he must remain in that place, he must not address women except while adhering to the Shari'ah limits that the scholars have specified in this area, some of which I have mentioned.