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 : Nicole Mahieux, Nick Canning & Kendal Tremblay Mental health is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of employee well-being, business resilience and community strength. For HR professionals, supporting mental health is no longer optional—it’s imperative. While conversations around mental health have gained traction in many industries, one critical sector still faces unique and persistent challenges: agriculture. Farmers and agricultural workers play a vital role in food production and national food security. Yet they are among the most vulnerable when it comes to mental health struggles. In fact, they experience some of the highest rates of stress, anxiety, depression—and even suicide. This is not just a personal issue. It's a workforce issue. It's a public health issue. It's a business issue. There are a range of compounding pressures makes farming one of the most mentally taxing professions. These include: 1.Financial Stress & Unpredictability Unstable markets, weather-dependent outcomes, and shifting government policies contribute to a constant sense of economic uncertainty. 2. Isolation Many farmers work alone and live in rural areas where access to social support is limited. Social isolation increases vulnerability to mental health concerns. 3. Stigma Although mental health stigma is slowly decreasing, it remains a barrier—especially among men, who represent 74% of the agricultural workforce. Traditional gender norms often discourage open conversations or help-seeking.
As a proud participant in the Glowing Hearts program , CPHR Alberta continues to champion the value that Canadian Armed Forces reservists bring to our workplaces. Since joining the program, we’ve seen firsthand how supporting reservists not only strengthens our communities but also enhances organizational resilience and leadership. The Value of Reservists in the Workplace Reservists are more than military personnel—they are strategic thinkers, adaptable leaders, and skilled collaborators. Their training equips them with discipline, problem-solving abilities, and a mission-focused mindset that translates seamlessly into civilian roles. Captain McKenzie Kibler of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment exemplifies this. In a recent deployment on Operation REASSURANCE, he developed leadership and operational skills that now enrich his civilian career. Watch his story here. Support, Recognition, and Incentives for Employers Supporting reservists doesn’t mean sacrificing business continuity—in fact, it opens the door to meaningful recognition and financial support. Through the Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program (CERP) , employers can receive grants to help offset operational costs when a reservist-employee is away for 30 days or more. At the same time, organizations that register their reservist leave policies with the Glowing Hearts program are publicly recognized on the Canadian Forces Liaison Council website and receive a certificate of support and digital badge. These benefits not only ease the logistical challenges of supporting reservists but also position your organization as a leader in community engagement and national service. Tools and Templates for HR Leaders To make it easier for organizations to support reservists, CPHR Alberta offers a Reservist Leave Policy Template. This resource outlines eligibility, leave procedures, compensation, and compliance with federal and provincial legislation—making it simple to implement a supportive policy. Access the template through the Member Portal.
Companies that invest in leadership development see real returns. According to Brandon Hall Group, organizations with strong leadership development programs are 1.5 times more likely to be financially high-performing, reinforcing the clear connection between leadership strength and business success (Brandon Hall Group, 2015). For small to mid-sized businesses, this risk can be especially high. As teams expand and complexity increases, the informal leadership structures that worked early on can start to crack. That’s where proactive leadership development and risk mitigation go hand-in-hand. The Leadership Gap Is a Hidden Business Risk According to a recent CPHR Alberta report, talent development and leadership gaps remain one of the top five organizational risks (CPHR Alberta, 2023). The consequences are rarely immediate, but they compound over time: • Missed growth opportunities • High-potential employees leaving due to lack of career clarity • Poor team morale when unprepared managers struggle to lead • Strategic drift from lack of alignment at the top A growing company without a leadership pipeline is like a car without a spare tire, it might keep rolling, but one unexpected bump can send the whole operation into a tailspin. Risk Mitigation Starts with Leadership Insight The first step in mitigating leadership risk is to move from guesswork to clarity. That means using structured tools like leadership assessments, succession planning frameworks, and targeted coaching to surface the actual capabilities of current and emerging leaders. In professional services firms, for example, it’s common to see technically strong employees promoted into management roles. While they excel in their areas of expertise, they often lack key leadership capabilities like delegation, feedback, and emotional intelligence (Gallo, 2016). Without proper development, this can lead to stalled projects, disengaged teams, and higher turnover. Leadership assessments and focused coaching are essential to identify these gaps early and build the skills needed to lead effectively. Common Leadership Risks in SMBs Every organization faces different risks, but these are some of the most common leadership vulnerabilities seen in growth-stage companies (SHRM, 2022): • Lack of succession planning: Only one person knows how to run a key function, creating bottlenecks and burnout. • Unclear decision-making authority: Teams waste time waiting for approvals or duplicating efforts due to ambiguous roles. • Promotion without preparation: High performers are promoted into leadership roles without training, leading to micromanagement or misalignment. • Poor feedback culture: A lack of honest dialogue means small issues snowball into bigger people problems. • Leadership misfit: A leader’s natural style may clash with the culture or needs of a specific team or situation. Mitigating these risks requires more than a one-time workshop. It takes intentional development, structured tools, and reinforcement over time (SHRM, 2022). What Effective Mitigation Looks Like The most successful companies don’t wait for a leadership crisis to take action. They build leadership strength proactively. Here’s what that looks like: • Leadership assessments are used during hiring and promotions to identify fit, style, and potential blind spots. • Customized coaching programs help leaders build the exact skills they need in real time, tied to their actual challenges (International Coaching Federation, 2022). • Leadership training cohorts (such as PowerUp Leadership’s “Coaching Skills for Managers” or “Authentic Leadership” programs) create a shared foundation across the organization. • Succession maps identify who is ready or could be ready for key roles in 12–24 months, creating a proactive development plan (SHRM, 2022). As companies grow, the complexity of people management increases exponentially. Systems, tools, and strategy all matter but none of them work without effective leadership behind them (McKinsey & Company, 2018). Investing in leadership development isn’t a “nice to have” for big companies, it’s a risk management strategy for every business serious about sustainable growth.
