5 Tips for Inclusive Holiday Celebrations
“Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers." –Kahlil Gibran
I spent a lot of my childhood in a country where three major religions shared political and social power. That led to multiple religious holidays throughout the year - including Eid-al-Fitr, Christmas, Hosay, and Divali. Many of us have holiday traditions we grew up with. Many of us would also love to see those traditions shared in the spaces in which we work. However, holiday traditions can exclude those who don't celebrate the same religions as others. And when one doesn't celebrate a religion, or their religion is in the minority and doesn't receive the same official recognition that majority religions do, feelings of frustration, exhaustion, and exclusion can arise. On top of all of that, we work in spaces where remote employees are becoming the majority in many organizations and we need to consider how to fully include them in all workplace celebrations.
And so now we have a holiday season where all of these concerns come to a head!
The holiday season is a time of togetherness and celebration, but it can also be a time of exclusion for those who don't celebrate the same holidays as others. This is especially true in the workplace, where people from diverse backgrounds come together. And in today's workforce, remote employees create a new landscape to navigate when it comes to celebrations.
Here are my five tips to make sure that everyone on your team feels included and part of the festivities, no matter where they are located.
1. Acknowledge and respect different holiday traditions and beliefs. Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are three of several holidays in December. Many people celebrate them. Many people do not. Take the time to learn about the traditions of those around you and avoid religious or cultural assumptions.
2. The holiday season can be a very hard time for those who have lost loved ones, who are undergoing personal challenges, or who have difficult memories associated with these weeks. Encourage participation but also make sure that involvement in holiday celebrations is voluntary. Some people may not feel comfortable participating in certain activities - or any activities - and that's okay.
3. Consider hosting a virtual holiday celebration that will allow remote employees to join in on the festivities. Ask your work-from-home colleagues for their input when planning holiday celebrations. This will help to ensure that everyone feels included and heard.
4. Make sure that all holidays are acknowledged and celebrated individually. This can be done by allowing employees to decorate the workspace with items that represent their holiday traditions, if they have them. Additionally, hosting a potluck where employees can bring traditional foods from their culture or holiday can be a great way to celebrate inclusion.
5. Emphasize the spirit of giving and gratitude. Encourage everyone to share what they are thankful for and to give back to their community. And finally, have fun! We made it through another year together - let's all celebrate that.
By following these tips, we can create more inclusive holiday celebrations where everyone feels valued, appreciated, and a part of the team during the holiday season.
Do the work
This week, I commit to learning about holiday traditions outside of my own, expressing gratitude for my workplace community, and actively including those whose voices can be minimized or excluded when planning holiday celebrations.
Spread the word
If you want to keep going
R.E.C.O.N.N.E.C.T.: How to Create
an Inclusive Hybrid Workplace
A decade ago, we would never have imagined we would be here: caught between in-person and remote in a world permanently changed by COVID-19. The pandemic has given us new realities of how we work and advance our inclusive workplace culture. What lessons can we learn from the past few years and how can we adjust if the world shifts again? In this unique keynote, I will share how we can RECONNECT in a new hybrid workplace with our multi-generational, dispersed teams. With stories, data, and practical tools to put in place, we will talk through the difficult questions about inclusion, well-being, generational shifts, and building real change that lasts.
