If you have foreign-born staff members, you may face some challenges when it comes to holiday scheduling. Most companies do not show sensitivity to the different religious and national group’s holidays. The holidays schedule is often based on the US holidays. However, I came across a very interesting way dealing with the matter.
This company is a small biotech. They have pharmacology labs, chemistry labs, an animal facility. More than 50% of the staff members are foreign-born nationals representing over 10 countries. Their Employee Manual stated that everybody has 10 holiday days a year, but the employee has to pick the days.
What is the result of such policy?
First, everyone is happy and feels respected more. Employee morale increased.
Second, experiments can be done on “long weekends”, or big national holidays. There are always enough people at work to safely run the experiments. The biotech’s productivity increased, there is no “shut down” period.
Third, there is no need to pay overtime or work on a “special schedule” to complete a longer experiment when there is a US holiday on the calendar. The HR specialist scheduled all the holidays in one “company holiday” calendar and posted it on the intranet. Managers can plan the work accordingly.
Forth, most interestingly, most people did not take all the 10 days available.
If you have a small business and you are producing a product, shutting down your entire production line costs you much more than just operating at a lower “weekend level”.
If you are a small business, would you be able to distinguish yourself by such schedule? Could you bill more hours annually as a lawyer? Could you be more available by your clients?
If you are a physician sharing a practice with other physicians (for example a pediatrician or ob-gyn), you can be open every weekday. You will attract more regular patients in your practice and your revenue will increase further. You are open another 10 days (2 weeks!!!) for business every year.
I strongly encourage you to look at your work force. Look at your business. Would some changes like this be possible to introduce? Would it benefit your business?
Remember, little changes can make big differences in your life, work, business and your bottom line.
This company is a small biotech. They have pharmacology labs, chemistry labs, an animal facility. More than 50% of the staff members are foreign-born nationals representing over 10 countries. Their Employee Manual stated that everybody has 10 holiday days a year, but the employee has to pick the days.
What is the result of such policy?
First, everyone is happy and feels respected more. Employee morale increased.
Second, experiments can be done on “long weekends”, or big national holidays. There are always enough people at work to safely run the experiments. The biotech’s productivity increased, there is no “shut down” period.
Third, there is no need to pay overtime or work on a “special schedule” to complete a longer experiment when there is a US holiday on the calendar. The HR specialist scheduled all the holidays in one “company holiday” calendar and posted it on the intranet. Managers can plan the work accordingly.
Forth, most interestingly, most people did not take all the 10 days available.
If you have a small business and you are producing a product, shutting down your entire production line costs you much more than just operating at a lower “weekend level”.
If you are a small business, would you be able to distinguish yourself by such schedule? Could you bill more hours annually as a lawyer? Could you be more available by your clients?
If you are a physician sharing a practice with other physicians (for example a pediatrician or ob-gyn), you can be open every weekday. You will attract more regular patients in your practice and your revenue will increase further. You are open another 10 days (2 weeks!!!) for business every year.
I strongly encourage you to look at your work force. Look at your business. Would some changes like this be possible to introduce? Would it benefit your business?
Remember, little changes can make big differences in your life, work, business and your bottom line.
My name is Sylvia Pacher, managing director for the Virtual Corporate Services team (www.myvirtualcorporate.com), and I invite you to discover what a virtual corporate service group can take off of your shoulder to make you more billable, profitable, and probably happier because you can focus on what you do best. Please let me know if you have questions – I am always here to assist you with making your business grow bigger, stronger, more profitable and competitive. Please email me personally: spacher@myvirtualcorporate.com
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