Johnathan Walker:How can a company accommodate religious holidays and not compromise business? Ask HR

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is Johnathan Walkerpresident and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society and author of "Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

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Question: I run an information technology services business, and we’ve grown to include workers from various religious backgrounds. If we close the office for some holidays and not others, it shows favoritism. However, we can’t accommodate every holiday from each faith and still run a business effectively. How can we support our employees’ religious preferences without hurting our business? – Alton

Answer: Twenty-five years ago, when the U.S. was not as religiously diverse, there was a near-universal understanding that employers only recognized “the Big 3” holidays: Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. Today, given the wonderful diversity our country now enjoys, we have employees who observe Jewish, Muslim, and many other religious holidays. This creates a real challenge for employers, especially HR practitioners, as we strive to acknowledge special days for all our employees while remaining focused on the need for the business to thrive financially.

However, there are several strategies you can implement to support your employees’ preferences without compromising your business operations. Here are some changes to your time-off policy you should consider adopting:

◾ Floating holidays: These are additional paid days off that employees can use at their discretion. They allow employees to celebrate specific religious holidays without requiring the entire office to close.

◾ Flexible time off: This allows employees to use their leave for any purpose, including religious observances, and helps employees plan their time off around their religious commitments.

◾ Flexible work schedules: Employees can take time off for religious holidays and make up the hours at another time. This might include starting earlier, staying later, or working on a different day within the same pay period.

◾ Schedule-splitting: For example, some employees can take the morning off and others the afternoon. This ensures the business remains operational while accommodating religious observances.

Also, if a company has 15 or more employees, federal law requires that it provide religious accommodation, which can include granting time off for religious observances. Employers generally must provide this time unless it would cause undue hardship to the business. In addition, some states have anti-discrimination laws covering both large and small employers, so check with legal counsel to ensure full compliance.

Ultimately, companies are in business to produce. This requires sustaining productivity among an increasingly diverse workforce, all of whom have their own personal wants and needs. Finding creative ways to accommodate workers’ time-off requests and keep your organization operating requires flexibility on both sides. Listening to employees’ concerns while communicating your business imperatives is key to finding the best arrangement for your organization.

By implementing strategies such as these, you can create a work environment that respects and supports your employees’ religious preferences while maintaining business efficiency. Flexibility, open communication, and consistent policy application are crucial to balancing those needs.

Keeping employees on boardWhat benefits can help improve employee retention? Ask HR

I manage a team of nine people. I have received feedback from multiple people about difficulty managing their workload, dealing with added stress at work, and with responsibility for family members and other personal issues. As a manager, should I do something to help my team achieve work/life balance? If so, what can we do to help workers navigate competing work and home responsibilities? – Reggie

Creating work/life balance – or, as I think of it, work/life integration – requires both the manager and the employee to work together to find solutions. As a manager, you’re accountable for the business objectives of your organization. When the business succeeds, it creates opportunities for everyone to benefit. Conversely, when a company struggles, or, worse yet, closes its doors, everybody loses. In other words, productivity depends on people – your employees have a stake in your company’s success. They also need the business to thrive, to be productive, efficient, and profitable. So, as you work through solutions in cases such as this, always keep this critical partnership in mind. As a manager, there are several steps you can take to help your team navigate the challenges of balancing work with personal responsibilities.

Start by ensuring you’re familiar with legal requirements such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain family and medical reasons. Additionally, understand any state-specific laws that may provide further protections.

Be flexible with company-paid leave policies, such as paid time off, sick leave, or vacation. Allow employees to use these benefits to manage their personal and family responsibilities without added stress.

Next, look at how you can adjust your productivity and workflow strategies to support your workforce. Implement flexible work arrangements, including remote or hybrid work, job sharing, and compressed work schedules. Flexibility allows employees to manage their time better and reduces stress related to commuting and rigid work hours.

Assess and adjust workloads regularly to prevent burnout. Encourage open communication about workload issues and work collaboratively to redistribute tasks when necessary.

I cannot understate how vital it is that employers offer the tools, encourage the practices, and provide the space for employees to preserve their physical and mental well-being. Be sure to provide access to an Employee Assistance Program offering counseling and other support services. EAPs can help employees manage stress, mental health issues, and personal challenges more effectively. Implement wellness programs, including mindfulness training, physical fitness activities, and other initiatives to promote mental and physical health. Encourage participation by integrating these programs into the workday. Encourage employees to take regular breaks throughout the day and to use their vacation time fully. Breaks help employees recharge and return to work more focused and productive.

Ultimately, cultivating work/life integration is a shared responsibility between manager and employee. Any strategies you adopt must make business sense and create a supportive environment to help employees effectively manage their work and personal responsibilities. This two-pronged approach of providing support systems and ensuring compliance with legal obligations will foster a more accommodating and productive workplace. In turn, this can lead to higher employee retention, increased productivity, and a healthier, more engaged team.

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