December - Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jane Rohman, Jane Rohman & Associates, jr@janerohman.com, 413-848-1407

EIGHT TIPS FOR HANDLING THE "DECEMBER DILEMMA"

As America's Workplace Diversifies,
Planning Holiday Season Celebrations Grows More Complex

Should Santa Be Invited?

"There is no other month like December, when good intentions fueled by the Christmas season can negatively impact or even offend employees and customers who practice or observe other faiths and holiday traditions," says Karen Stinson, Founder and CEO of the nationally respected Minneapolis-based diversity consultancy ProGroup.

"It's what we call the 'December Dilemma'_and with the American workforce and marketplace more global and religiously diverse than ever, the problem and challenges are becoming more pronounced," notes ProGroup President Myrna Marofsky, co-author of Religion in the Workplace: A Guide to Navigating the Complex Landscape.

While about 82% of Americans are Christian, the presence of other groups is being felt, including Jews, followers of traditional Native American religions, Muslims, Buddhists, and Sikhs, among others. In fact, today there are more American Muslims than there are American Episcopalians or American Jews. At the same time, only two percent of companies "officially" recognize any religious holidays other than Christian ones, according to Marofsky.

The solution to the December dilemma isn't easy, says CEO Stinson, given the strong emotions around the holidays and the traditional office "Christmas" party. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses are prohibited from attending parties or gift giving. And even Santa himself runs the risk of alienating people—some see him as a Christian icon, while others believe he has become secularized and should continue to be included in holiday parties and office decorations.

Stinson and Marofsky believe that at the root of the problem is a lack of awareness, respect and understanding for other faiths and holiday traditions. For example, many people believe Ramadan is a time of celebration for Muslims in December. To the contrary, it's a solemn month-long period marked by fasting and abstinence. Similar to Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah, Ramadan's date shifts from year to year because it's tied to the lunar calendar. This year Ramadan began at sundown on October 25th and ends at sundown on November 24th followed by a joyous celebration called Eid Al-Fitr with eating, celebrating and exchanging presents.

To prevent misunderstandings, each year ProGroup produces its award-winning Honoring Differences calendar, which has become a staple in organizations worldwide. The calendar features over 450 worldwide holidays, events and celebrations with practical information about their significance and practices, as well as dietary restrictions. Over one million copies of the calendar have been sold since its introduction in 1996. (For ordering details, visit www.diversitycalendar.com)

Tips for Managing The December Dilemma

1. Learn about the different December and winter holidays and be familiar with the practices and significance of each. They are different.

2. Keep holidays inclusive and informative. Try using a seasonal theme rather than a holiday one. Establish new traditions around parties and end-of-year gifts.

3. Review your company's religion in the workplace policies to be clear on what is and is not acceptable regarding the December holidays. If you don't have a religion policy, create one!

4. Include a diverse group of employees when planning events, but remember that you can't please everyone.

5. Honor requests or challenges in the spirit of appreciation rather than tolerance.

6. Consider scheduling celebrations or sending cards before of after the holiday season. If you do use cards during the holiday season, sending appropriate ones to employees and customers goes a long way toward making them feel valued. For example, many outlets offer cards for Hanukkah (Jewish) and Kwanzaa (African American), which this year are celebrated from December 19-27 and December 26-January 1, respectively.

7. Provide opportunities for employees to talk about their differences and share their holiday traditions and symbols, including their favorite foods.

8. Consider incorporating "holiday swapping" in time off policies, whereby non-Christians can work on Christmas Day in exchange for taking a day off on a different religious holiday of their choosing.