An Inclusive Approach to Recognizing General Holidays
Author : Central Alberta Chapter Committee
Organizations have recognized the federal and provincial statutory holidays for years. Did you know that Canada's national holidays generally mark religious, quasi-religious or patriotic occasions? However, in an inclusive environment, there are cultures, religions, nationalities, groups and identities that may recognize different holidays than those general holidays defined by the government which organizations have established as the norm. Not everyone celebrates and observes holidays the same way. Depending on culture, traditions and norms, celebrations take different forms. Not all holidays are cultural or religious, some may be commemorative days rather than celebrations, and others may be based on traditions. Some people may enjoy celebrating with large groups while others may prefer to relax and recharge. Others may not find the holiday celebratory at all due to financial restrictions, mental health issues, barriers, lack of family or family acceptance or the holiday may be a reminder of inequity, trauma or pain.
This month, the CPHR Central Alberta Volunteer Chapter asked, how could organizations support, create, and implement an inclusive approach to recognizing holidays for their employees?
Through our search, we have discovered several approaches that organizations can take to create an inclusive approach to holidays.
The Traditional Approach
Currently, provinces and territories average 11 statutory holidays annually with at least two of those holidays focused on the religion of Christianity. There are many more holidays that employees may wish to recognize, but for organizations following the traditional approach, that means that employees would need to take a vacation day or utilize leaves, such a flexible or personal leave or even an unpaid day to recognize other holidays such as the end of Ramadan which is celebrated this month.
The non-Traditional Approach
This model provides the most flexibility, providing employees with a set number of paid days off that can be chosen by the employee. The non-Traditional Approach recognizes that employees values and needs vary. This approach empowers employees to choose the days that are most significant to them. Tracking and communication is key with this approach to ensure a balance between business operations and employee flexibility.
Inclusivity, one of Canada’s leading providers for equity, diversity, and inclusion services, gives a great example of a Canadian company that is in the process of updating their holiday policy and processes, and is considering offering 10 paid days off to each employee on a day of their choice. In addition, they are considering offering 2 “flex” paid days in April or May on a day of choice that employees can move as needed, providing the ultimate inclusive holiday offering.
The Hybrid Approach
This model is a mixture of having traditional statutory holidays that are provided to all employees plus floating days. This can look very different based on the organization, such as:
- Mandating more inclusive holidays, such as Family Day, and allowing employees to swap out Christian-based holidays, such as Christmas and Good Friday, for other observed holidays.
- Designating certain DEI-related holidays, such as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
- Maintaining Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day as fixed holidays because operationally other businesses are typically closed on these days and work may be restricted during these times, but then offer other floating days for employees to celebrate holidays that are meaningful to them.
Even with a more traditional approach, organizations can still recognize the needs of their diverse employees by choosing to offer additional flexible days to employees. The flexible day, sometimes referred to as a Floating Holiday Day, recognizes that employees, based on their background, may observe different significant dates and working day(s) with pay can be requested directly to the Supervisor and approved in advance.
With all approaches, there can be some operational challenges, such as striking a balance between recognizing employees’ diverse needs and maintaining business operations. Communication on how and why certain holidays are recognized is vital. Educating, raising awareness, and providing resources are also recommended.
Inclusive Communication:
Inclusive communication is about focusing on recognizing, understanding and responding to various backgrounds and identities. It goes beyond communication, it’s about listening and being empathetic and having an open mind to other people’s perspectives, feelings and experiences. It is encouraged to ask what holidays are important and try not to make any assumptions on what an employee would or would not like based on physical appearance or geographical locations.
Educating and Raising Awareness:
Leadership should actively promote education and awareness regarding diverse holidays. This can include posting a DEI calendar. Lattice provides a great sample holiday calendar for 2024: How to Incorporate DEI Holidays for a More Inclusive Workplace (lattice.com)
Providing Support and Resources:
Leadership should ensure that appropriate resources are available to assist managers. For more information on this topic, the Chapter found these resources to be quite helpful:
- Inclusive Holidays: Beyond a “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach - Inclusivity (inclusivityinsight.com)
- How-to-Appreciate-Diversity-During-the-Holidays.pdf (womensresourcecenter.net
- https://lattice.com/library/how-to-incorporate-holidays-that-celebrate-diversity-and-inclusion-into-your-companys-calendar
- (11) Best practices for celebrating cultural holidays through an inclusive lens | LinkedIn
- An Inclusive Approach to Holidays, Observances and Celebrations - Feminuity
The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.
Author: Taia Northrup , 2026 Social Media Committee Volunteer Building Safer Workplaces Every April 28th, World Day for Safety and Health at Work serves as an important reminder that workplace safety isn’t just a policy, it is a commitment to people. While procedures, protocols, and compliance requirements are essential, the true foundation of a safe workplace lies in a culture where employees feel valued, heard, and protected. In today’s evolving environment, safety goes beyond hard hats and hazard signs. It includes psychological safety, inclusive practices, and the ability for employees to speak up without fear. As organizations continue to adapt in a tech driven world, the role of Human Resources in shaping and sustaining this culture has never been more critical. Traditionally, workplace safety has been associated with physical risk prevention. While this is still vital, modern organizations are expanding their focus to include mental health, preventing burnout, and overall well-being. Which Leads to the Culture of Psychological Safety A truly safe workplace is one where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, raising concerns, and admitting mistakes without fear. Psychological safety is essential for innovation, collaboration, and overall organizational success. Safety doesn’t always require large scale initiatives… Often it is small, consistent actions that make the biggest difference, these include: Checking in with employees regularly Offering training and refreshers Celebrating safe practices and milestones Creating opportunities for feedback As we recognize World Day for Safety and Health at Work, it is an opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to build safer, healthier workplaces. By prioritizing both physical and psychological well-being, organizations can create environments where employees thrive. At its core, safety is about people. When we lead with empathy, listen with intention, and act with purpose, we don’t just meet safety standards, we exceed them!
Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHRs) bring a unique and deeply relevant skill set to senior governance roles—particularly those focused on equity, inclusion, and systemic change. With expertise in ethical leadership, organizational governance, people systems, and inclusive decision‑making, CPHR professionals are well positioned to contribute at the highest levels of public service. The Government of Canada is currently seeking applications for the role of Chairperson of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) Board of Directors, a Governor in Council appointment that offers an opportunity to shape national conversations on race relations and advance meaningful change across Canada.
CPHR Alberta is proud to announce that we are now partnering with Venngo to offer you MemberPerks! Discounts to help you and your family save on life’s essentials, comforts. We are delighted to invite you to MemberPerks — an exciting new employee benefit program that’s designed to perk up your everyday life. MemberPerks is a premium discount program that will help you save money regularly with special discounts on 10 major categories such as electronics, entertainment, health and wellness, apparel and more. Start saving today! Go to cphralberta.venngo.com Create your MemberPerks account - sign up using the email address associated with your membership Start saving now! Need help signing up? View the Step by Step Guide here Find the FAQ’s here
