Tips for Inclusive Holidays

A few ways organizations can make holiday celebrations more inclusive all year long...

Review Your Office Holiday Calendar

Incorporate diverse cultural and religious holidays into the annual organization-wide calendar. Solicit input from your people when setting up the calendar to ensure you're capturing the dates that are important to them, and avoid scheduling critical meetings and events on these dates.

Offer Floating Holidays

Offer employees the opportunity to choose what they want to recognize and celebrate. This flexibility can be especially valuable for celebrating cultural or religious holidays that may not be recognized as official company holidays.

Consider Dietary Restrictions

When planning events this holiday season, asking attendees about dietary restrictions demonstrates respect for their diverse needs and health considerations, and promotes inclusivity by ensuring everyone can fully participate.

Check That Your Event Space is Accessible

Account for the diverse accessibility needs of attendees during in-person and virtual holiday events.

For starters, consider the venue. Is it accessible to different types of mobility devices? Will there accessible parking? Is the venue entrance on an accessible path? Are there quiet spaces where attendees can take a break from the noise? What assistive technologies might you need (e.g., captions, translations, screen reader compatible platforms).

As we come together to celebrate, let's reflect on how we can make space for everyone year-round!