How productive are you when you work on holidays?
Both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Fridays this year. That means a nice long weekend for many, but fewer working days for some businesses. Restaurants and retailers may rake in the cash, but, in an office setting, work can grind to a halt over the holiday season.
Andy Decker is a senior regional president with the staffing firm Robert Half, which surveyed workers about the holidays. Many people won’t be working at all, but for those who are stuck clocking in, he said, “You will definitely see some decreased productivity from people who are at the office.”
A little over half of those surveyed said they’d be “somewhat productive,” but only about a third said they’d be “very productive.” So rather than make the proverbial Bob Cratchit work late on Christmas Eve, some companies think the holidays can be more productive as a time to earn brownie points with their staff. Rob Gittings is a vice chairman at the consulting firm PWC.
“In the professional services industry, your ability to attract talent, and keep them, is really the most important thing for you to be competitive,” he said.
Staff at PWC can take a 10-day holiday break this season which Gittings notes, helps retention, and that’s good for business.
Graphic by Robert Half
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