The holiday season is often a time of joy, reflection, and celebration, but how it's experienced can vary greatly depending on individual perceptions.
Diverse workplaces cannot maintain traditional approaches to holiday celebrations as they may unintentionally exclude employees or fail to reflect the broad spectrum of cultural and personal traditions. Crafting inclusive culture celebrations isn’t just about being politically correct—it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and seen.
This blog explores why embracing diverse traditions matters, the challenges of creating inclusive culture celebrations, and actionable strategies to implement DEI strategies for holidays.
Let’s create a workplace holiday season everyone can truly enjoy.
Why Inclusive Holiday Celebrations Matter
The era of one-size-fits-all office holiday parties is fading, as workplaces become increasingly diverse. Employees bring a rich array of cultural, religious, and personal traditions, and recognizing these differences strengthens employee engagement and fosters a sense of belonging. Additionally, with more people embracing health-conscious lifestyles, inclusive celebrations should also consider alternatives to traditional alcohol-centered events.
Offering diverse activities focused on food, non-alcoholic drinks, and meaningful shared experiences ensures everyone feels welcome and valued, regardless of their cultural, religious, or personal preferences. Research suggests that employees want holiday celebrations that acknowledge multiple cultures, traditions, and faiths. Such practices foster respect and a sense of belonging. Neglecting this can lead to feelings of exclusion, eroding morale. (Insight Global) Inclusive celebrations can also bolster a company’s reputation.
Employers who prioritize diversity at work signal that they value all employees, making them more attractive to top talent in today’s competitive market. 80% of employees want to work for a company that values DEI. (Forbes)
The Challenges of Inclusive Holiday Practices
While the benefits of inclusive celebrations are clear, implementing them isn’t always straightforward.
Unintentional Bias:
Planning holiday events often leans heavily on dominant traditions. This can unintentionally exclude those who don’t observe mainstream holidays.
Employee Preferences:
Compass Group research shows only 24% of employees prefer alcohol-centric work events. (Financial Times)
This shift suggests the need for celebrations that appeal to a broader audience, including those who prefer non-alcoholic or family-friendly gatherings.
Logistics and Budget Constraints:
Balancing inclusivity with budget limitations and ensuring hybrid workforce participation can be challenging, especially for remote employees who may feel excluded from traditional office celebrations.
Employees who feel included and valued are 3X as likely to feel excited by and committed to their organization (McKinsey&Company)
Strategies for Celebrating Diverse Traditions at Work
Building an inclusive holiday calendar starts with intentional planning and an understanding of your workforce. Here are some actionable steps to get started:
1. Survey Employees About Their Preferences
Instead of making assumptions about how your team wants to celebrate, ask them directly. A simple survey can uncover how employees prefer to celebrate and which traditions they’d like to see acknowledged. For larger companies with diverse nationalities and backgrounds, consider forming a volunteer group of employees from different cultures and perspectives—distinct from the leadership team. This approach ensures authentic representation and helps capture the genuine sentiments and preferences of various teams, creating celebrations that truly resonate with everyone.
2. Diversify the Calendar
Move beyond major holidays. Incorporate celebrations for cultural, religious, and secular events. For example, acknowledging Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Lunar New Year alongside Christmas creates a more inclusive environment.
Having these important celebrations in Amirra’s community events calendar, means everyone will be notified of the upcoming celebration, even if it is not theirs by tradition, and can learn how to offer greetings or well wishes to those in their team that do.
3. Offer Flexible Scheduling
Allow employees the flexibility to take time off for events that hold personal significance to them. Flexible holiday policies show respect for individual traditions and demonstrate that employers value their employees’ lives beyond work.
For instance, instead of mandating that specific holidays, such as December 24th, 25th, and 26th, must be taken off for Christian celebrations, offer a set number of flexible holidays. This approach ensures employees who don’t observe these traditions aren’t left feeling excluded or forced to take days off that don’t align with their beliefs. With flexible holidays, everyone can choose the days that matter most to them, fostering a more inclusive workplace.
4. Plan Non-Traditional Gatherings
Instead of formal parties, consider hosting potlucks or storytelling events where employees can share dishes, customs, or personal stories from their culture. These gatherings create an environment for meaningful education, connection, and the celebration of diversity. Encourage employees to bring a piece of their heritage to the table, sparking conversations that foster mutual understanding and respect. Additionally, organizing community volunteering events centered around different cultural holidays or causes can provide another layer of engagement, allowing teams to come together in support of shared values while learning more about the traditions and practices that shape their colleagues' lives.
5. Leverage Technology for Remote Teams
For hybrid or remote teams, technology can bridge the gap, making inclusive celebrations accessible to everyone. Host virtual events like online trivia, cultural learning sessions, or virtual gift exchanges to ensure every employee feels included, no matter where they are.
With Amirra's spaces and event features, employees can stay informed about all the special events happening across the organization. Create photo albums to celebrate and share diverse cultures and traditions, fostering a sense of connection and inclusivity that allows everyone to feel part of the broader workplace community.
6. Encourage More Awareness
One of the most effective ways to make employees feel included is to recognize and respect what’s important to their identity and background:
A Muslim employee observes Ramadan, a sacred month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Not all so long ago, western workplaces wouldn’t know anything about Ramadan, never mind acknowledge it - leaving the employee feeling isolated. Meetings were scheduled during lunch hours, and team events centered around meals excluded them. The employee had to explain their fasting practices repeatedly and often felt overlooked.
Now, imagine the company takes steps to spread awareness about Ramadan. They send out a company email explaining the significance of the holy month, including greetings like "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramadan Kareem." Meeting schedules are adjusted to be more considerate of fasting hours, and inclusive social activities are planned. The company even arranges an optional educational session where employees can learn more about Ramadan from a local expert.
By taking these steps, the Muslim employee feels seen and respected. This not only fosters a sense of belonging but also boosts engagement and loyalty.
Spreading awareness about different cultural and religious observances can be as simple as sharing facts, organizing trivia games, or inviting guest speakers to discuss these traditions. Inclusivity doesn’t just benefit one employee or one specific religion or race; it creates a culture of understanding and respect that enriches the entire workplace.
Aligning Celebrations with DEI Goals
Inclusive holidays aren’t a standalone initiative—they should be part of a broader effort to integrate DEI strategies for holidays into your company culture.
Foster Education and Awareness - Celebrations are an opportunity to educate employees about different traditions and practices. For instance, hosting brief presentations or interactive sessions can deepen understanding and empathy across teams.
DEI in Holiday Planning - Build a diverse planning committee to oversee holiday events. This ensures different perspectives are represented and that celebrations align with the company’s broader DEI goals.
Amplify Core Values - Link holiday celebrations back to your organization’s mission and values. Inclusive holidays can serve as a tangible representation of the company’s commitment to equity and respect.
Here are a few inclusive holidays to keep in mind:
Rosh Hashanah: A Jewish holiday centered on faith, family, and reflection, celebrated in the fall.
Day of the Dead: A Latin American tradition honoring departed loved ones with colorful and festive celebrations, observed on November 1st and 2nd.
Diwali: India’s largest holiday, celebrated over five days in October or November. This significant religious festival highlights family, food, and vibrant displays of light.
Hanukkah: An eight-day Jewish celebration in November or December, focusing on themes of bringing light into the world.
Chinese New Year: Celebrated according to the Lunar calendar, this 15-day festival typically occurs in January or February. In China, many employees take a week off to spend with family. Inclusive companies are 36% more likely to financially outperform those who aren’t as diverse. (WEForum)
Conclusion
Inclusive holiday practices require effort, but the results—happier employees, stronger engagement, and a thriving workplace culture—are worth it.
Start small by acknowledging diverse traditions in a company-wide email or creating a simple inclusive holiday calendar. As you progress, involve employees in the planning process and regularly evaluate the impact of your initiatives. By embedding diversity at work into your holiday practices, you’ll not only improve the employee experience solutions but also cultivate a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and respected. Let this holiday season be the start of a tradition that includes everyone.
The holiday season offers a unique opportunity to celebrate your team’s diversity and foster inclusivity. By embracing inclusive culture celebrations and aligning with broader DEI goals, companies can transform simple traditions into powerful tools for engagement and connection.
Amirra is your partner in communication, helping you to build and nurture a diverse and inclusive community in the workplace or remotely. Contact us to find out more.
