While the boss is away the cats will play especially when it is a holiday! I can't tell you how many workplaces I have been in where people boldly acted in ways they know that if the boss was around they would be busy working. But oh no, not some employees! The Internet surfing increases, email is overlooked, personal copies are made, and personal phone calls are lengthy. all the holiday excitement has made the workplace lax--too lax!
Now if the boss is on site, during holidays, the more it seems people "need" certain days off. "It's my anniversary on that day...I can't be here, my kids are going to be in this play...It is a tradition of my family to celebrate..." That sounds nice, but work still needs to get done.
I recall a boss handling the holiday celebrations something like this, he didn't celebrate, consecrate, or congregate. Get it? So consider the following:
Don't mix business with pleasure especially when your company is the type that demands high performance.
As a boss, if you give an inch, you best believe there will always be those employees that will take a mile! End the decorating, office parties and other personal celebrations at work when you know job performance is slacking, profits are down, and you are ready to fire someone. For those employees who just love holiday celebrating, meet up after work if you must. You don't want to be that one called in the office over an issue only for your boss to say, "...and by the way if the employees weren't distracted by your event, none of this would have happened!"
Also, consider this, there is probably one or two at the workplace who have some hidden resentment about how you or someone else acknowledged this employee's baby being born and not that one, this employee's cubical was decorated for his birthday and not that one...You know how people can be. If everyone can't be acknowledged because of money, time, etc. then why do it?
Days off mean work isn't getting done, but you still want your personal time.
If someone requests a day off, find out what work is already being done what still needs to be done and who will be handling his or her workload while that employee is out. This way you can put your days in without the schedule conflict of, "Who is going to be here and who isn't and why are you both out on the same day?" coming from the boss. However, if you are the unlucky one to take over while your boss or co-worker is out, then consider this, be sure to schedule time off during the time he or she returns--don't talk yourself out of it. Unfortunately, some employees can act selfishly assuming that hard workers never need time off and they will just pick up the slack. Be sure to have your work completed and needed assistance while you are out.
As for bosses, who have employees needing some time off, try to accommodate by having others help out with tasks, but if this can't be done, those with tenure typically get first pick. However, it is in your power to circulate holidays fairly. For instance, if a certain employee always gets his or her request, you may want to arrange the schedule so that others can get those days off sometimes too. Check with employees maybe some are okay with the vacation schedule while others are not.
Avoid revealing too much about your holiday celebrating.
Valuable work time gets eaten up because so many leaders and workers want to share stories about their holiday experiences especially in the morning when it is already a challenge for some employees to focus and get work done quickly. Reserve the story-telling for lunch and after work when you see that tasks simply aren't getting done.
If you know that you work in an atmosphere with back-stabbers, liars, snitches, and the like, don't provide too many personal details when speaking about your festivities. You don't know who you might be offending or what these people might post on the Internet or say to others about you. I recall when someone was sharing information about a gay mixer she had at her home, needless to say, there were many who already didn't like the trouble-making employee, so she didn't make matters any better for herself when she shared some tidbits about her guests. Other employees liked to share information about their weekends in the bathroom, not knowing, who was using the stalls. It was only a matter of time that personal stories circulated.
Do think about those leaders and workers who may or may not celebrate holidays and how what you do and say might negatively impact them. It is best to keep personal celebrating to a minimum at work and elsewhere. Keep in mind wherever you go, whether on or offline, you represent your company. Think about the many workers who have been fired from their jobs as a result of not knowing where to draw the line. Also, don't post photos of your holiday events especially if you know you have done any of the following: lied so you could get a day off, did something shameful at the event, wore company attire while you did wild acts, or borrowed or stole company equipment for use at your celebration (ie. weddings, baby showers...)
Happy celebrating!
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