Lots of businesses close down during Christmas and New Year to enjoy the festive season and spend time with family - you may be one of them. However, for some, even though the break is welcomed, the festivals celebrated by their own faith may occur at other times during the year. So how do you handle this?

It's good practice for businesses to have clear processes and procedures in place for requesting holiday and for these to be consistent regardless of the reason for the request. There is no automatic right to time off for religious reasons, but you should be sensitive to the needs of your employees and accommodate requests for holiday to cover religious occasions where it is reasonable to do so. Remember that refusing a request should only occur where there is a legitimate business need that can be objectively justified.

Naturally, being able to accommodate requests for holiday around religious observance will depend on the size and nature of the business - a company with only a handful of employees will be less likely to accommodate requests for time off in their busy periods compared to one with 500+ employees for example. You may also find yourself in a situation where a number of employees request the same period of time off for religious observance. It's best practice to consult with all employees who have requested time off and work together with them to find a solution that works for both them and the business. As the employer you will always have the final say, but the more you communicate and engage your employees here, the easier your life will be and you'll be far more likely to get a good outcome for all.  Where you have a number of employees who wish to celebrate a specific religious festival,  by providing resources and support not only for them but to further educate colleagues, this will help with overall engagement and inclusion.

Think about what you currently do with public holidays - if you're a business that usually shuts on public holidays, you may find that some employees prefer to work on these days and take time off for observing another religious festival. Are shutdowns essential for you on these days or has it just become part of your usual ways of working? Could it be feasible to allow individuals to work on these days if they wished to take the time off during another period? There's no issue with maintaining a shutdown period over Christmas & New Year if this is what works for your business - a break away from work to spend valuable time with family and/or friends is good for employee well-being.

When it comes to talking specifically about Christmas and New Year, we've had some companies question whether it's inappropriate to celebrate Christmas in a multi-faith workplace - the answer is no. It's important to recognise that celebrating Christmas and the winter season can produce a positive seasonal atmosphere leading and actually aid employee well-being. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has said that denying a celebration of Christmas in a country where the predominant religion is Christianity can undermine community cohesion. Absolutely, be more mindful around this - for example, if you're an organisation that usually puts up a Christmas tree and decorations, then show sensitivity to other faiths by using seasonal rather than religious imagery. Christmas parties and lunches should still very much go ahead and be enjoyed, so long as all employees feel welcomed and there are alternative options to the traditional Christmas menu and alcohol.

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