This CEO wants all public holidays to be long weekends in South Africa

[rvZA]

It makes sense. We still get to honour the event, we just do it at a time that is more convenient and restful for most people.

The UK has been doing this for as long as I can remember.

Only thing I can think of that doesn't make sense is for religious holidays where the specific day/period holds significance for them and they must take part in religious ceremonies on that day.

As far as I know, this is only in trial. A very few countries trying it, but mostly certain companies only and not the countries themselves. Not a single country this far officially adopted a 4-day work week. But, I totally stand corrected.

 

[Barbarian Conan]

Its a loss in the sense that customers cannot access your business and may have to wait for 3 days! To get a response.

It will be handled like a Saturday. Some are open and operate, others won't because their customers wont. They will now just be available for longer on the other days, giving people the same amount of hours in a week to contact them.

 

[rvZA]

It will be handled like a Saturday. Some are open and operate, others won't because their customers wont. They will now just be available for longer on the other days, giving people the same amount of hours in a week to contact them.

And many smaller, even bigger, companies will not open at all, not because of clients, but rather because of having to pay double pay for Friday, Saturday and Sunday as it is considered a long weekend.

No matter how one looks at this, in the long run this will have devastating effects on the economy. There is a reason why this has never been adopted. This is not a brand new idea.

 

[porchrat]

As far as I know, this is only in trial. A very few countries trying it, but mostly certain companies only and not the countries themselves. Not a single country this far officially adopted a 4-day work week. But, I totally stand corrected.

I... uh... didn't mention a 4 day work week...

We're talking about moving public holidays from the middle of the week to a Monday/Friday friend.

 

[porchrat]

Easter is already covered. It is the definition of a proper long weekend.

Christmas is covered by proxy in that most people take their leave around Christmas anyway.

Yea you're not wrong there. Good points.

 

[irBosOtter]

I have not met many people who can tell you what every public holiday commemorates. I read it up at some point, but even I can't tell you for all of them. And I'm more than happy to take the holiday even where I don't agree with what's being honoured (e.g. Easter, Christmas, Woman's Day, Heritage Day).

Same here, no one really gives a fark about why it's a public holiday, they just looking forward to a day off, would be so much better if it's a friday or monday

 

[Barbarian Conan]

And many smaller, even bigger, companies will not open at all, not because of clients, but rather because of having to pay double pay for Friday, Saturday and Sunday as it is considered a long weekend.

No matter how one looks at this, in the long run this will have devastating effects on the economy. There is a reason why this has never been adopted. This is not a brand new idea.

People said the same thing about the 5 day work week and the 8 hour work day.

We will adapt and adjust.
Those businesses that are open on Fridays and work full days the other 4 days will actually have MORE working hours in a week than they had before.

 

[krycor]

I’m all for banking holidays.. ie if a holiday falls on/between Mon & Thursday, it gets shifted to Friday.. if Friday is a holiday already, it gets shifted to the following Monday else the previous Friday.

Ie a super long weekend is still, rarely possible.

 

[krycor]

It makes sense. We still get to honour the event, we just do it at a time that is more convenient and restful for most people.

The UK has been doing this for as long as I can remember.

Only thing I can think of that doesn't make sense is for religious holidays where the specific day/period holds significance for them and they must take part in religious ceremonies on that day.

I think only Christmas falls into that category. (Easter is weekend already).

PS. Islamic/Jewish/Hindu religious dates aren’t equal citizens in this respect.. wasn’t this under discussion before with gov.

 

[konfab]

And many smaller, even bigger, companies will not open at all, not because of clients, but rather because of having to pay double pay for Friday, Saturday and Sunday as it is considered a long weekend.

No matter how one looks at this, in the long run this will have devastating effects on the economy. There is a reason why this has never been adopted. This is not a brand new idea.

It makes zero difference in terms of operating costs. The law doesn't recognise a long weekend. Only Sundays and public holidays have special criteria applied to them

Retailers and restaurants, the places that are actually open during these times and have to pay for it, will be the ones that benefit the most as more people will be on a long weekend.

 

[Mystic Twilight]

And many smaller, even bigger, companies will not open at all, not because of clients, but rather because of having to pay double pay for Friday, Saturday and Sunday as it is considered a long weekend.

As konfab has pointed out, current legislature only recognizes sunday (and public holiday) as a rest day and eligible for double pay rates. Companies can legally call you in on a saturday as long as they don't exceed the 45 hours a week limit.

 

[dualmeister]

We looking at changing public holidays because FlySafair says so now?
What does kulula want?

 

[porchrat]

I think only Christmas falls into that category. (Easter is weekend already).

Yea and usually people take leave around Christmas time anyway... so if it moved to the Friday/Monday I doubt many people would be impacted by it.

PS. Islamic/Jewish/Hindu religious dates aren’t equal citizens in this respect.. wasn’t this under discussion before with gov.

While I'm not particularly religious, most of my family is Christian. I like having those holidays off to spend with them.

Even I can acknowledge that Easter and Christmas being holidays, while other religions don't get their religious days, is not really fair. Another topic for another thread.

 

[porchrat]

It makes zero difference in terms of operating costs. The law doesn't recognise a long weekend. Only Sundays and public holidays have special criteria applied to them

Retailers and restaurants, the places that are actually open during these times and have to pay for it, will be the ones that benefit the most as more people will be on a long weekend.

This.

I don't get double pay on Saturdays. I do on Sundays and public holidays though.

The company would still have had to pay those double rates for the public holiday from the Thursday that got moved to the Friday. I can't see this impacting operating costs much if at all. Agree it will definitely boost the tourism and restaurant businesses though.

 

[krycor]

In a way it makes sense, but i don't know.

I like the holidays that split the week up as well.

So the winners for long weekend is the hospitality & retail sector.

Think about it.. how many times do you go on a one night holiday. Also retail & restaurants I suspect have a better time on long weekends too.. vs a Wednesday holiday granted it concentrates an already busy day for restaurants.

 

[Mystic Twilight]

So the winners for long weekend is the hospitality & retail sector.

Think about it.. how many times do you go on a one night holiday. Also retail & restaurants I suspect have a better time on long weekends too.. vs a Wednesday holiday granted it concentrates an already busy day for restaurants.

Not just hospitality and retail, all the support services like transportation benefit as well hence why safair is calling for it as they will benefit from the increased flight bookings for people to get to holiday destinations.

 

[Nerfherder]

It makes sense. We still get to honour the event, we just do it at a time that is more convenient and restful for most people.

The UK has been doing this for as long as I can remember.

Only thing I can think of that doesn't make sense is for religious holidays where the specific day/period holds significance for them and they must take part in religious ceremonies on that day.

Religious holidays should form part of a "Cultural holiday" allocation that everyone gets. ie you get 5 days of leave extra to take as you choose for your cultures festivals.
Christmas and Easter should fall away as public holidays and it should be considered as part of this special leave.

People like me can choose which holidays they prefer, i'd probably just take Christmas but perhaps others might want to align to the Jewish hols etc. Its insane that we have complete shutdown over these periods.

 

[porchrat]

Religious holidays should form part of a "Cultural holiday" allocation that everyone gets. ie you get 5 days of leave extra to take as you choose for your cultures festivals.
Christmas and Easter should fall away as public holidays and it should be considered as part of this special leave.

People like me can choose which holidays they prefer, i'd probably just take Christmas but perhaps others might want to align to the Jewish hols etc. Its insane that we have complete shutdown over these periods.

This feels like a great solution. Nerfherder for president.

 

[B-1]

What rvZA is trying to say is that the expectation is already that people work 10+ hours a day and by dropping an extra work day it wont be possible to increase those hours per day to cover the "lost" productivity as its not practical.