SURVEY SAYS: What's Your Holiday Schedule?

With the 26 ^th designated as the official Christmas holiday (and the markets closed), no one should be surprised to find that it was the most common day off for this week’s respondents – what might be more surprising is that a mere 54.73% fell in that category.   That’s right – and nearly a third ( 32.43% ) said they were getting both the 23 ^rd and the 26 ^th off.  

Almost 11% chose “other” – with the most common difference being that they were getting (officially) off early on the 23 ^rd as well as the 26 ^th (in contrast to the denizens who were HOPING to get off early on that day – including the reader who said, “The ‘skeleton crew’ working on the 23rd will be keeping their fingers crossed for an early dismissal!”).  Another common difference – a number of respondents were closing on the 23 ^rd , and then not reopening until New Year’s.   As one noted, “When we lock the doors on December 23 ^rd , we don’t reopen until Tuesday, January 3rd.   We get two paid holidays for Christmas and two for New Year’s.   The boss kicks in an extra paid holiday, and we use one day of vacation.   It is a much anticipated and much needed respite from a crazy schedule.   (Of course we have to work long hours beforehand to get everything done before closing.)”   Some were giving folks the choice of 12/23 or 12/26.

The remaining respondents were split between workplaces that “never” closed, and some that were just closed on 12/23.

Of course, there’s “closed” – and there’s closed down.  

“Officially, we will be closed on 12/26,” noted one, who went on to say, “But hey, it’s open enrollment season…I will be unofficially inputting benefit changes for 2006 on 12/26.”

“The office is closed on Friday,”said another respondent, “but the Blackberry will be on all weekend.”

“Our office is (a) closed on 12/26.   Of course, I’m working on a new implementation for a client that (e) other – is closed for the entire week 12/26-12/30, but our implementation goes live on January 3rd, so my cubicle (d) never closes.”

Here are a few other verbatims:

“Ahhhh, we’ll be closed (a) on 12/26.   However, the holiday lunch on 12/20, early release on 12/23, and lack of staff for those taking extra time off will mean not much work will get done during the last two weeks of the year.”

One reader whose firm was closed both 12/23 and 12/26 noted, “And for the first time in many years, I will not be in the office on either of those days, unless….”

“We are closed both days, 12/23 and 12/26…..thankfully, due to a union contract that also benefits us ‘salaried’ employees….”

“(a) 12/26 – but if it was up to me, it would be (c) – 12/26 and 12/23.”

But this week’s Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said, ” We’ll be (a) closed on 12/26; please post a list of the firms that will be (c) closed on 12/23 and 12/26.”

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!