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SURVEY SAYS: Is Your Workplace Open Black Friday?
This week I asked readers if your workplace would be open the day after (a.k.a. “Black Friday).
Most (56.3%) said their workplace would NOT be open that day, and roughly one in five said that they would be open – “but with a skeleton crew.” The rest, of course, simply said “yes”, though there were some in the “other” category, including the reader who said, ” This is a Canadian response – we had out Thanksgiving already in October, thank you.”
As for what readers would be doing – 9% said they would be in the office, 9.5% said they would be at work – for awhile, anyway, and another 5% said they would be at work – at least physically. Still, that means that roughly 14% would be resting, 11% plan to be shopping, 4% will be traveling, nearly 11% will be visiting – and about 15% will be doing “more than one of the above.”
Significantly, about one-in-five chose “other” – which ran the gamut of tasks from “entertaining others that have traveled, shopping online, eating, cleaning house, decorating the house, watching football, going to the ballet, putting up the Christmas tree/decorations, watching the kids participate in some kind of sporting event, nursing a hangover, and “…chasing my kids (school and daycare are closed, too).” One said simply that they would be doing “Everything above that does not encompass work.”
Office Policies
A number of readers are “victims” of the stock market in such things. As one reader noted, “If the market’s open, we’re open.” Or, as another noted, “Our firm’s motto is “We are open when the market is open and we are open when the market is closed.” I don’t find that to be a very entertaining even though I’m supposed to say it with a smile.” Or, as another said, “Sadly, we must be here in case some misguided individual wants to make a trade on a day that should be reserved for leisure and leftovers.”
There are, of course, beneficiaries of the traffic at the shopping “mauls.” As one reader noted, “We are a retailer. Our Home Office will be closed, but our 1,000 plus stores will be living the nightmare that is working in a retail store the day after Thanksgiving.” Another said simply, “We are in RETAIL – the day after Thanksgiving is known in our company as “Green Day”.
“It is wonderful to work for a company that gives us both days off. In the past I worked for companies that were open that day and nothing got done anyway and no one wanted to be there. It makes more sense to me to close and at least benefit from the good-will it generates,” noted one.
Official status notwithstanding, “We’re officially closed, but I know some freaks that will come to work,” noted one. Another said, “We are officially closed, but I expect to get a call from my boss bright and early on Friday wondering why I’m not in the office.”
Another observed, “I used to be able to release my team early on the day before a holiday. However, since taking a state job, doing so would mean they all falsified their time sheets.”
One reader bemoaned the reality that “Yes, they took away the day after Thanksgiving by claiming that our clients are at work that day. Wrong! Most of them have the day off!”
One who had the day off said, “I wish my workplace were open though – my in-laws are coming.”
But this week’s Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said, “It will be dead, but we’ll be open since the market is open. For excitement that day we’ll be doing an office pool on the number of phone calls received.”
Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!
We are officially open, but as the day after Thanksgiving is an 'optional' floating holiday, most people try to take it. If the stock markets would only close on that day, we could ALL take the day off! |
if the market's open, we're open. |
As a custodian--and transaction processor--when the stock market is open, we are open. |
We will also close at 3pm on Wednesday |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! |
I used to be able to release my team early on the day before a holiday. However, since taking a state job, doing so would mean they all falsified their time sheets. |
While it is a 'work site' holiday, we MUST use one of our floating holidays. The company giveth and the company taketh away ... |
We follow the stock market, so will close at 2:00 |
But I'll be in for a few hours just to catch up on a filing pile that is threatening to collapse any moment. |
Our firm's motto is "We are open when the market is open and we are open when the market is closed." I don't find that to be a very entertaining even though i'm supposed to say it with a smile. |
Thanksgiving week is infamous at my company for being the week of silence, where you can catch up on all of those projects that have been sitting on your desk for the past several months. |
We are in RETAIL - the day after Thanksgiving is known in our company as "Green Day". |
We shut down for the entire week of Thanksgiving. |
As a recently "acquired" employee from a Bank. This will be the first year in over 20 that taking off Friday is not costing me vacation time. |
I have been working in the banking industry for 15 years and we have always been open the day after Thanksgiving. We are also open on most Federal holidays. Ironically, no business gets done because the general population believes that banks are always closed on Federal holidays! |
Government worker. 'Nuff said. |
It is wonderful to work for a company that gives us both days off. In the past I worked for companies that were open that day and nothing got done anyway and no one wanted to be there. It makes more sense to me to close and at least benefit from the good-will it generates. |
We're an investment manager, so we have to be open when the markets are. |
The Government is too cheap to close the day after. Few will be in, no real work will get done, but, we will be open. |
We're required to be open the day after Thanksgiving but it's an extremely quiet day. I have found it's a great day to catch up on the piles of work that have built up on my desk. Plus it gives me an excellent excuse to avoid the craziness of Black Friday shopping. The rudeness in that one day makes me doubt the basic kindness of people. |
We're officially closed, but I know some freaks that will come to work. |
We get to leave early too..the ones that will be working. |
close down at 2:00 on Wednesday too! |
We are officially closed, but I expect to get a call from my boss bright and early on Friday wondering why I'm not in the office. |
We get nine holiday days a year. Six of them are used in the six weeks beginning with Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas Eve and Christmas, Newyears Eve and New Years. |
My company gives the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday every year. |
We will not be working the day after Thanksgiving. There aren't enough trucks to tow in so many gluttonous hogs at once! |
We also close at 3pm on Wednesday! |
Every year the same debate about why the office should be open when no one else in the U.S. is working. So, those that have to show up are the ones with lowest years of service. No one is expecting alot of production on that day. In fact, they have "left over" potluck lunch that start around 11:00. |
It's one of the few Holidays we get. |
Sadly, we must be here in case some misguided individual wants to make a trade on a day that should be reserved for leisure and leftovers. |
We are a retailer. Our Home Office will be closed, but our 1,000 plus stores will be living the nightmare that is working in a retail store the day after Thanksgiving. |
While we won't get to leave early on Wednesday, we do have Friday off. |
The company was originally scheduled to be open. However, as part of this years United Way campaign, if the Company as a whole increased our contribution from last year's contribution, then we would get Friday off as a holiday. The goal was met and now the office will be closed on Friday. |
This is a "floating" holiday for us. We can take black Friday or we can take another day. Nothing gets done anyway, everyone is still reacting to the tryptophan in their turkey! |
I remember in the good ole days, if I were in town, I'd go ahead and work the Friday after Thanksgiving. Why? Well, (1) there was no one else there, so you could come in at a leisurely hour, like 10 AM. Then you could take a two hour lunch. And then you could leave at 2. There might be 1 manager on duty who'd send everyone home early. Same applied to Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Of course, now that I am with ACME, and will soon be working from home full-time, no one pings you on SameTime to tell you to stop working early the day before a holiday. So you just have to shut it down on your own and enjoy life. I don't know why people think because you work at home, you must be available 100% of the time. |
Hope you and your family have a nice Thanksgiving. |
After all the fat-ladden gorging of Thanksgiving Day and high-stress, early morning shopping thereafter, utilization of emergent cardiac services is usually quite high on "Black Friday". |
And our office closes at 1:00 CT on the Wednesday before TG. |
Yes, they took away the day after Thanksgiving by claiming that our clients are at work that day. Wrong! Most of them have the day off! |
The day is not an official holiday but better than 50% of the staff take off. Not really an issue though as our customers tend to not be in either. |
And I am hoping that no further healthcare annual enrollment "surprises" or new, end of plan year, required federal regulatory employee disclosures occur between now and then, so I don't have to come in to help put out the latest "fire". |
I work for a subsidary of a BANK...there is no holiday the day after Thanksgiving for banks. However, I will use vacation and all of my staff will use vacation for that day. |
I wish my workplace were open though - my in-laws are coming. Maybe this is the year I start a new tradition of hitting the stores at 5am (by myself)! |
We don't get Veterans Day to be able to have a two-day holiday at Thanksgiving |
It will be dead, but we'll be open since the market is open. For excitement that day we'll be doing an office pool on the number of phone calls received. |
I will be standing in one of those extreme early sale lines. My son is working on a game room at our church for his Boy Scout Eagle project. His project is estimated to cost $2,800 so we are hoping to save money by getting an early bird special on a foosball table. Any dollar we can save is one less dollar he (and we) have to do fund raising for. |
I'm going to work off that Thanksgiving dinner by diving with the Manatees! I can't wait!!! |
AT my local casino pretending that loosing money is 'fun'. |
At home cleaning up! |
Shopping on line, relaxing, and maybe a VERY brief outing to the mall. |
Dishes from the day before and then a Shrek marathon with my kid. |
Entertaining family members who are visiting for the looooooong weekend. |
Cleaning house, after sleeping. Traditionally I have to travel to family so I'm looking forward to a holiday at home, even if I have to use part of the 4 days to clean. |
Eating |
Working around the house -- we have been remodeling. |
My parents are coming to stay for 10 days so I will be spending quality time with them. |
Visiting with my family and avoiding retail mania by going to a museum. |
Decorating the house for Christmas |
More than one of the above including dragging my carcass around the doggie park with my wards. Neither rain, wind, sleet, snow, etc. can keep me from our appointed rounds of marking bushes, digging up vole burrows, and chasing the wabbits through their vineyard haunts. |
At the Moscow Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" (in Cincinnati OH) |
My husband is going backpacking. Not realizing that my take on the situation is that I get to do what I want that day.... His bribe to keep me from being upset with him for leaving me .... is having a masseuse come to the house to give me a one hour massage. Yes, Nevin, I realize that I am spoiled. |
Watching the #1 ranked LSU Tigers feast on pig! (Arkansas) |
The mind may occasionally travel to work, but the body will be at home with family, having hopefully digested enough of the previous day's activities to eat even more. |
Working from home for a while and shopping |
Working from home early, then watching my daughter play in a USTA tennis tournament -- if she wins Friday, we go back Saturday, if she wins Saturday, we go back Sunday. If she loses, I'll be cooking a second Thanksgiving for family we won't see Thursday. At least I won't be shopping! |
Absolutely enjoying the quiet...perhaps even shrinking a pile or two on my desk! |
Putting up my Christmas tree! |
drinking...to get through the shopping |
My family will be having Thanksgiving on Friday to accommodate in-law family plans for their Thansksgiving on Thursday. |
I will start my day by sleeping since the rest of my family is retail and has to be to work by 6:00 AM. Then I will get caught up on all that housekeeping that just doesn't stay done! Maybe by mid-afternoon I can then rest. |
Hiding in my house. Not venturing out into the black friday gridlock that will overwhelm the Denver metro area, making normal rush hour during a blizzard appear to be attainment of Indy 500 speeds. |
Studying for an ASPPA exam. |
At home decorating for Christmas |
At work (for a while, anyway) |
Starting a home improvement project, installing hardwood floors in my condo. |
OUTSIDE IN THE YARD. CLOSING UP FOR WINTER. HITTING THE LAST BUCKET OF BALLS FOR THE YEAR. SHOPPING IF THE GIRLS WANT TO. TAKING THAT POST TURKEY AFTERNOON NAP (AGAIN) |
Nursing a hangover. |
Attending my son's two youth hockey tournament games. |
Officially, I'm on PTO but god forbid if I dont check my Treo while away. Unofficially, I'll likely have what I call 'turkey hangover' on Friday. |
We are going to Walt Disney World!! |
I usually try to work Black Friday because I'd rather take a beating than go to a mall on that day. This year I have a family obligation (eldersitting) so I am asking for the day off. |
Hopefully, visiting relatives, eating unhealthy amounts of leftovers and getting outside to play some golf... |
We will be cleaning the house and going to the movies. |
making turkey soup |
I will be returning from my parents' house bright and early on Friday because my husband has an art show that he needs to sit at for the weekend. So, we rush home so I can be home alone all weekend. I guess I'll have to work on my paper for school. |
Everything above that does not encompass work |
Putting up Christmas decorations. |
At home chasing my kids (school and daycare are closed, too). |
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