A Christmas dilemma: Have your say!

Leave requests and holiday clashes can be a cause of conflict year-round but especially so at Christmas. Whether it’s parents who want to make the most of the school break, people travelling to meet family, or someone who simply wants to enjoy the festive season, the fact is, hardly anyone wants to work at Christmas.

It may seem like the world stops from Christmas Eve until after the New Year but this is not the reality. Many businesses need to keep their wheels turning over the holiday period and, for some, it is the busiest time of the year.

So, here’s the dilemma...

You receive three requests for time off at the busiest time of year. All three employees have valid reasons, but you can only approve one. Take a look at the options.

Employee one: Harry

Harry waits all year to see his family. When he took this job, he knew he’d be moving far away from most of his relatives which is what makes Christmas even more special. He’s booked his ticket early so that he would avoid peak times and save himself a lot of money. Unfortunately, his tickets are non-refundable, and rebooking would leave him massively out of pocket.

Employee two: Molly

Molly has recently had a baby. It‘s her son’s first Christmas, and she is excited for everyone to be together as she hasn’t seen much of her family since her maternity leave ended. She wants the time off to make this first Christmas as a mother really special and has planned an elaborate dinner for all of her friends and family. Some relatives have already booked trains and flights for the occasion and cancelling would cost them a lot of money.

Employee three: Adrian

Adrian is an active member of his local church. Every year he requests the same time off so that he can volunteer to help with the Christmas festivities at the church, and they rely on him lending a hand. It has never been an issue for him to get time off before and he assumed that this year would be no different. That’s why he promised to help out with a huge event and without him, they may not be able to go through with it.

Who gets their annual leave request approved??Cast your vote on our poll now!