Is There a Frozen Turkey Melting on the Loading Dock?
A few months into my tenure as #2 in the HR department of the Grand Hyatt New York I learned that Thanksgiving Holiday turkey distribution was one of my responsibilities.The annual plan brought enough turkeys to the hotel loading dock to accommodate distribution of one to each of the more than 1,200 employees at the location. We had a system to allot only one per person and employees were free to share the bounty in any way they chose. We did not consult meteorologists about delivery times; the frozen turkeys never stuck around more than a day and the few stragglers moved into freezers in the kitchen. One year November temperatures rose to typical June levels and puddles quickly started to form around the birds. The next year we gave out supermarket certificates and employees picked up up their own main course item.
Thanksgiving Employee Gifts Up a Bit
The recently released BNA Special Benefit Report 2010 Thanksgiving Holiday Practices describes a slight rise in the number of employers providing some kind of gift to employees at this time of year with 12% responding as givers up a notch from 11% last year. So the practice is far from the norm and only 4% of employers distribute turkeys, hopefully under the watchful eye of proper food storage procedures. Gift certificates for food are more common but no where near widespread with 7% of respondents reporting this benefit.
Days Off Are King
Giving employees a day off to enjoy the holiday, and the day after is a much more common practice. But employers are dialing back their generosity in paying for holidays with 74% granting both Thanksgiving and the day after as paid days off compared to 79% last year. Your decision on whether to offer one, two or no days off with pay during this week may be based on simple economics, area or industry practice or overall allocations of paid time off.
Are Employers Saving Up for the Holiday Party?
Employers may be skipping some paid holidays and Thanksgiving goodies to bank some cash for the holiday party. The National Association of Catering Executives reports their own survey results that show a big jump in company holiday party plans. 52% are contemplating a year end event compared to only 30% a year ago.
If you have not set the date and sent out the announcements there is still time. And while you are planning it's a good time to think about details like refrigeration and employee alcohol consumption. Plenty to ponder here and for another post!
