We found this article on Chron.com
WORKING
Many workers rejoice at four-day weekendCopyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
WITH Independence Day falling on Tuesday this year, companies are wrestling with that pesky midweek holiday dilemma.
Should they force employees to come in to work on Monday when everyone else is at the pool? Or be a hero and give them an extra day off so they get an unexpected four-day weekend?
Dave Ferdman opted for the hero route.
The president and chief executive of CyrusOne, provider of off-site data center services, realized about a week ago that the Fourth fell on a Tuesday.
Ferdman, who has about about 50 employees, made a snap decision to proclaim it as an extra day off for all nonoperational employees. For those who earlier planned to take Monday off as a vacation day, they’ll get credit in their time-off bank of days.
“It’s great for morale,” said Ferdman, who said he’s received a surprising number of e-mails from employees who said they were thrilled with the news.
He also figures they’ll be more productive in the long run by spending the day with their families or friends rather than having to wedge a day of work in between the weekend and Independence Day. And employees aren’t the only ones who are looking forward to an extra day off. Ferdman is planning to spend Monday with his wife and three young children visiting friends in Conroe or Galveston — or maybe both.
Administaff employees greeted the news that they’d be getting Monday off with cheering and a standing ovation for Chairman and CEO Paul Sarvadi.
Monday holidays
The company typically gives an extra day off either during the week of Christmas or New Year’s, but since those holidays fall on Monday this year, the day before Independence Day was a good alternative, said Steve Arizpe, executive vice president of client services and chief operating officer.It also helped that many of the company’s clients were also taking the day off.
Locke Liddell & Sapp also decided to give its employees a long weekend when it became clear many of its clients wouldn’t be at the office either. And then there was the relaxation factor.
“We felt that because those with the firm work so sedulously, this could be an ideal respite period,” said Jeff Love, vice chairman of the management committee and managing director of the Houston office.
But for those clients who will still be slogging away at the office, the firm has made arrangements.
To take the sting out of working when everyone else isn’t, Locke Liddell will pay its nonexempt employees double time.
Advance planning
Many companies, especially smaller ones, made the decision to close Monday in the last couple of weeks after someone looked at the calendar.Dynegy, however, has had the day off planned since late last year.
We always find it gratifying when employers acknowledge there is after all a human side to life and cut their employees a well needed break. We are, beyond a doubt, the hardest working country in the world, and that extra day off for the July Fourth Holiday weekend means so much in planning trips.
Smarter employers know that there is never much to be gained by trying to wring that last bit of effort from their employees, especially when insisting they work the interim day of a major holiday weekend will only cause unrest and frustration. The end result is that very little gets accomplished anyway since most workers have their minds on getaways and barbecues and firework displays.
So we salute those employers who know enough to know the difference and who subsequently make a difference by making the holiday a whole lot brighter. And needless to say, when they do come back to work and if you do need to hire more employees always spend a few bucks on a background check and Check Them Out Before They Hire.
Happy Fourth of July to one and all!
