Whether you are celebrating a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Eid ul-Adha, Happy Kwanzaa, an all-purpose Happy Holiday, Festivus, or nothing outside the deep discounts and sales available in relation to all of the above, it’s almost impossible to ignore the holiday season…
This is the time of year that has Human Resource professionals wringing their hands, worrying about offending one group and overlooking another in the mad scramble to honor cultural differences and remain politically correct.
The fairly generic greeting of “Happy Holidays” has gained in popularity over the recent years, serving as a neutral ground between the various observed holidays for your clients, vendors and business connections. A little more caution is due to your coworkers who might not celebrate anything at all around this time of year. Often, coworkers reveal their values in relation to holiday activities at work through everyday discussions relating to office coverage (who wants which holiday off or has no preference) or may feel comfortable enough discussing their family holiday traditions or religious beliefs openly in the workplace. When this occurs, it deepens the understanding coworkers have of the similarities and differences, but it shouldn’t be created artificially through forced “sharing.”
When decorating, private employers are allowed to display religiously affiliated decorations so long as they don’t favor one religion over another. Public employers are limited to secular decorations such as snowflakes and candy canes. If an employer bans decorations entirely to keep everyone happy, they must enforce the ban throughout the year; not allowing any red hearts to sneak in during February. A complete ban can also prevent heated discussions related to one holiday or another from flaring up and causing issues between employees. For instance, Thanksgiving, typically regarded in American culture as a day for giving thanks for our country’s founding and all we are grateful for in life, is regarding as a day of mourning in some Native American cultures.
It’s important for employers and employees to look at these concerns as holidays arise for different cultures throughout the year, resulting in requests for additional time off, accommodations for fasting, prayer or religious items in the workplace. In general, a focus on the individual, rather than the company’s policy, is crucial for respectful communication surrounding holidays. And while it can result in additional responsibilities, a diverse workplace brings value to its employees.
