For many Canadians, the upcoming Canada Day long weekend presents a scheduling puzzle. With the holiday landing on a Tuesday this year, employees face a potentially disruptive Monday sandwiched between days off. However, some employers are opting for a different approach, granting their staff a paid day off on Monday to create a seamless four-day weekend.
This trend, while not universal, is gaining traction, particularly among smaller and startup companies that prioritize employee well-being. The reasoning is simple: a happier, more rested workforce is ultimately a more productive one. It’s a sentiment echoed by Klarify founder Moody Abdul.
“It’s that, ‘if I take care of you, you’ll take care of us’ kind of mentality,” Abdul explained.
Abdul’s company, which provides AI-driven note-taking tools for therapists, is among those giving employees the extra day. He believes the benefits far outweigh any perceived loss of productivity.
The decision resonates particularly strongly in Quebec, where Saint-Jean Baptiste Day fell on the preceding Monday. For many, this created two consecutive weeks with an awkwardly placed Tuesday holiday. While some took the entire week off, others juggled work schedules.
The phenomenon of companies offering additional days off highlights a shift in workplace culture , a **silent process** of re-evaluating the traditional work week. This is **suddenly manifesting** as tangible benefits for employees, and leading to **public awareness** of alternative models.
Of course, not all companies are in a position to offer such flexibility. Operational demands and client needs often dictate stricter schedules. However, even within more rigid structures, employees are finding ways to maximize their time off.
Ani Siddique, a research assistant at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, planned ahead to secure his Monday off. “I had to ask for it but I planned for things one or two months in advance,” he said.
Morad Affifi, after finishing his Friday shift, shared his strategy: “The majority of my planned Canada Day festivities take place over the weekend but he, too, dipped into his vacation bank to avoid working Monday.”
Suze Mason, co-founder of Sprout Family, a digital health platform, felt it was an easy decision to give her five staff members the Monday off, expecting minimal impact on business operations. “It felt like it was the right business decision to give our employees a day to rest and recharge, while also not having as much of a direct impact on the business,” Mason said. “It wasn’t what anyone expected,” she added, referring to the positive team morale boost that resulted from the decision.
Here’s a breakdown of the key viewpoints on this trend:
- Employee Well-being: Prioritizing employee rest and recharge leads to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
- Operational Impact: Many companies report minimal disruption to business operations when granting an additional day off.
- Competitive Advantage: Offering flexible benefits can attract and retain top talent.
- Client Alignment: Extending holiday schedules to match clients facilitates seamless communication and collaboration.
Vineet Johnson, founder and CEO of IRegained, has made bridging awkward gaps between holidays a regular practice. He recalls doing the same when Boxing Day fell on a Thursday, preventing a one-day return to work before the weekend.
“It’s an easy incentive, a no-brainer incentive,” said Johnson, emphasiszing the **ease of implementation**.
The trend of offering Monday off is also generating buzz on social media. A recent post on X.com praised companies adopting this policy, with users expressing hopes their own employers would follow suit. However, other comments on Facebook and Instagrem reveal a more mixed response, with some expressing concerns about fairness and potential for abuse of the system.
The move signals a broader conversation about the future of work and the importance of work-life balance. Whether this practice becomes widespread remains to be seen, but its current popularity suggests a growing recognition of the benefits of a well-rested and engaged workforce.
-With files from Natasha Baldin in Toronto.
