There are too many end of year holidays having to do with major religions and cultural traditions, and then there are the non-religious who just like hanging out with family and friends and good parties, to get much work done at all. It seems to me that companies should give up trying to conduct business the last week of the year and just accept the will of the people.
Here's how it works:
There are 51 weeks of business conducted per year and the new policy is in addition to regular vacation benefits. In other words... just to be clear so no one gets this wrong, if you get 10 days vacation you now will get 10 days vacation plus the office will be closed the last week of the year. All those other paid holidays during the year will still be paid holidays. It's really not difficult to understand...
Emergency services, law enforcement, and essential personnel at utility companies will be required work and rotate staff every year so everyone gets a chance to be off once in a while. For staff that work during the last week of the year out of necessity, they should be provided 2 weeks off in compensation for having had to bear the hardship of working (like me) when no one else was and not being able to accomplish much because mostly everyone's out of office assistant or voice mail is on.
Businesses should not be alarmed at the new policy and should embrace it. It's a level playing field because since all businesses are closed:
All businesses lose revenue - so it's fair and they save money on energy costs which should please the CFO.
Supermarkets will have an extra special and vigorous ramp up week since people will purchase groceries not only for that week but holidays (kind of like how everyone prepares for a hurricane). Other retail will have an exceptional start to the new year because all the clothing purchased as holiday presents that didn't fit and gift cards that need to be redeemed will be gang busters come January 2nd.
Parents will be able to spend a week with their children and not have to sweat over childcare arrangements (and the associated cost) because school and work breaks do not coincide (that's not very smart of society now is it?).
Perhaps the most compelling reason is that I would be able to stay home and sleep for a week by the fireplace which would make me as snug as a bug in a rug and happy as peach pie.
Do you have an additional reason to lobby for this policy or are you a Grinch who would lobby against it - and why?
photo credit shopflytrap.com
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