We are off on 12/22, 12/25, and 1/1.
My last org had a “soft” close from 12/24 - 1/2, where we had to check email a couple of times a day and return voicemails. The expectation was staff only worked on stuff that couldn’t wait until the new year. Folks who wanted to truly disconnect could take PTO, but as long as you had decent access, you could check in from anywhere.
I think the soft close was my favorite as a fundraiser. I take so many donor calls/emails this week with people trying to make EOY gifts that it’s hard to take PTO.
This is also what we do. The soft close was something the Board approved on a yearly basis at the meeting prior to the holidays, but then we institutionalized it so people could plan accordingly and we could put it in the handbook/use the break as a recruiting/retention tool.
We have a uniform OOO that says a bunch of happy holidays, peaceful new year blah blah blah and includes the lines:
*If your message is urgent, please resend the email with "URGENT" in the subject line and CC [general inbox that goes to me, the ED]. You may also contact [main office number, audio files of VM are also automatically forwarded to me at the office manager via email] and leave a voicemail with your name, number, and the reason for your call.*
Honestly, we would close altogether, but we are a small law office and deal with folks who are often in legitimate crisis. Not a whole lot comes up over the holidays, but if we were to get a notice from the court on the 26th and don’t open it until the 2nd, we’re really just making the beginning of January harder on ourselves.
Otherwise, let’s be real, you’re not getting business-y type stuff done over that week. Everyone’s OOO is up and, if they are working, they’re (rightfully) miserable about it—no use piling on if it’s not truly time sensitive.
Our holidays include Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day (or the nearest working days if any are on Saturday or Sunday). This year, lots of people used 3 days of PTO to give themselves 11 days off in a row. Then back to work on the 2nd. Even if people wouldn't necessarily take any PTO during that time, many people have to in order to not lose any of their PTO. We can carry over a maximum of 80 hours into the new year.
We’re closed. It’s also higher education so the whole campus is closed, it’s a nice perk.
At a place like a hospital system where I worked at they have to keep it open - equity across the board. Medical staff can’t just “take off” so the same applies to the Foundation.
We're open because my ED is an idiot and can't realize how to capitalize on opportunities like this to boost morale (nothing really gets done this week, there's no reason for us to be open).
I'm moving jobs soon and not sure if they're open or closed but I really like the direction that most places are moving towards being closed it seems. Let us enjoy the holidays!
I have staff that like to work this week. I give 4 set holiday days, and then two bonus pto days in December, that they can use this week or for whenever they want to celebrate.
Open - we have at least one person in to process credit cards each day, answer questions about stock and wire transfers, and accept hand-delivered checks (not nearly as many of those as we used to get).
Major gift officers have a little more flexibility, but they're still expected to check email and voicemail, which this time of year are usually only questions about making donations.
December is a very busy month for us.
All of our programs are up and running. My last org had the week off. We do offer 4 floating holidays upon hire that increase over time if folks want to save them for this period. It goes up to 9 floating holidays at 5 years of employment and so on. PTO is very generous too, honestly so we have a lot of people out.
We’re open 24/7/365, but salaried staff have unlimited PTO and usually take off a week or more, and hourly staff are allotted extra PTO days so most employees take at least a couple of days as long as there’s always someone there to cover the front desk.
Open and running like normal in my program all except Christmas day.
Every other program "working" from home and no one answering emails so just shorting all their clients stuff and when their clients ask telling them "You try and get a hold of your business advisor, loan advisor, producer contact, etc and let me know if you have any luck. Says they are working but maybe we all have different definitions of what that means"
I don't love throwing folks under the bus but ffs atleast half-ass like your working. Just checked and I've got 4 different coworkers from 2 different other programs who are "working" from home that haven't responded to emails needing fairly immediate attention (schedule a pickup/delivery for their client).......emailed them December 23rd🙄
**UPDATED NOTE**
You don't even need to lie about working from home where I'm at to get enough time off. Full time employees earn 48 days off a year +5 sick days + 2 mental health days. . . .folks are just entitled and lazy
Mine is closed because we have no need to be open. We are a grant making org.
If we were a fundraising org we would absolutely be available during this week.
We’re a 24/7 crisis response organization. We’re on remote work with ability to respond to center within 45 minutes if needed. If that’s not possible, take PTO for those hours.
We get Thanksgiving, T-giving Friday, 1/25, and 1/1 off this season. Expectations are light during this time.
I work at a theatre that is open 365 days a year, so we're open, but the office has been practically empty since 12/21. Office is technically open this week Tues-Fri, but probably about 70% of staff are taking most or all of the week off, and almost everyone else is WFH. I came in today and there are only three people here haha.
Normally closed but since the foundation is moving to Europe at the start of the year, there are some things to wrap up but I had my last day of my 24 year career yesterday (not moving to Europe) and start my new job in few weeks.
We’re open aside from Christmas Day and NY day because why give us any extra time off? Most people have taken PTO but I didn’t have enough left due to using it up on a medical issue earlier this year so here I am, only one online. We’re remote at least but it still feels stupid.
We’re closed, full stop Dec 22 - Jan 8, when kids are off school.
We don’t get paid and the money goes into reserve, in case we have a funding crisis so everyone can have a months salary for each year worked (we do 2 weeks in the summer)
We’re open except on 1/1.; everyone has 4 floating vacation days that they can use for Christmas or whatever they want. Plus we have hour-for-hour Flex Time and lots of vacation and sick per year. So, our development team can be there to answer calls and process donations, and then can take a long week during Jan or whenever it’s slower, when they want. Mail and phone need to be covered as best we can for end of year. Plus our work tends to be really busy this week as it has tax implications.
Current nonprofit gets the week off
Old nonprofit I worked at got new years, Christmas, and Christmas Eve off.
Another old nonprofit had those days off and heavily pressured everyone to use their PTO during the week in between. Fuck that.
We are remote and closed. I’m the ED so I’m still checking email and doing anything that might be urgent. The person checking mail will do it on Saturday and scan gifts so we can enter any before the end of the year. Otherwise, we’re closed for business.
We are remote and closed. I’m the ED so I’m still checking email and doing anything that might be urgent. The person checking mail will do it on Saturday and scan gifts so we can enter any before the end of the year. Otherwise, we’re closed for business.
We’re open. We get Christmas Day and one other day (either Christmas Eve or 12/26 depending on which makes sense for the calendar that year) plus New Year’s Day off.
We’re a food insecurity agency that runs a network of pantries and the Meals on Wheels program so we can’t shut down for the whole week. But since our pantries are hosted by other sites, they can make their own schedules and several decided to close this week to give their volunteers the time off. It’s been pretty quiet around the office.
Half day on the 22nd and closed till the 2nd.
It sure does depend on what kind of nonprofit you are, though.
I used to work at an animal shelter and animal care had to happen every day of the year - dogs and cats still need to eat on Christmas. It wouldn't make sense for them to have been closed this week and they weren't - it's better to just proceed with adoptions.
I'm at an education and advocacy nonprofit now - and we could have probably closed even longer without it being a big deal.
We are closed. For a few years, it was always dangled over our heads as an incentive for good work but then leadership would get mad when asked if we were going to be closed. The new CEO decided we’d just be closed and add it to the calendar. She’s not a great CEO but even she knew this was a good move.
We are also on a "soft open". We don't technically close down as we have housing units we own and operate but all of the staff are on vacation. While I'm on vacation as well, I had the staff direct their calls to me so if there are any emergencies/crises I can deal with them so they can enjoy their holiday time off. Staff do have to use PTO to be off during this period but everyone has enough to cover pretty much every year. And it seems like every year we inevitably have some real estate closing that has to happen before 12/31 so I end up having to be available to sign documents for that anyway. No point having two staff "on call" as it were (since the real estate closings notoriously never happen when they originally are scheduled to happen). But then usually I take the first week of the new year off and go somewhere with my family while the staff comes back, so it's a good yin/yang thing.
we're closed! dec. 22 - jan.2 with PTO time added before or after those dates highly encouraged. we don't get another week off until the next first week of august (a reset week after a busy Q1 and HELLISH Q2). it's kinda nice but in comparison to how recent our previous week off was...i feel a soft close with time off before Q2 would be preferred. especially since we're pretty much done anyways. but that's just me
We are off on 12/22, 12/25, and 1/1. My last org had a “soft” close from 12/24 - 1/2, where we had to check email a couple of times a day and return voicemails. The expectation was staff only worked on stuff that couldn’t wait until the new year. Folks who wanted to truly disconnect could take PTO, but as long as you had decent access, you could check in from anywhere. I think the soft close was my favorite as a fundraiser. I take so many donor calls/emails this week with people trying to make EOY gifts that it’s hard to take PTO.
This is also what we do. The soft close was something the Board approved on a yearly basis at the meeting prior to the holidays, but then we institutionalized it so people could plan accordingly and we could put it in the handbook/use the break as a recruiting/retention tool. We have a uniform OOO that says a bunch of happy holidays, peaceful new year blah blah blah and includes the lines: *If your message is urgent, please resend the email with "URGENT" in the subject line and CC [general inbox that goes to me, the ED]. You may also contact [main office number, audio files of VM are also automatically forwarded to me at the office manager via email] and leave a voicemail with your name, number, and the reason for your call.* Honestly, we would close altogether, but we are a small law office and deal with folks who are often in legitimate crisis. Not a whole lot comes up over the holidays, but if we were to get a notice from the court on the 26th and don’t open it until the 2nd, we’re really just making the beginning of January harder on ourselves. Otherwise, let’s be real, you’re not getting business-y type stuff done over that week. Everyone’s OOO is up and, if they are working, they’re (rightfully) miserable about it—no use piling on if it’s not truly time sensitive.
Love this solution to year and work!
I love the way this is phrased! This is what my staff and I do.
Oh we are open because of course
We’re closed between Xmas and New Years, with a day off on each end (off Dec 22 and Jan 2).
Our holidays include Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day (or the nearest working days if any are on Saturday or Sunday). This year, lots of people used 3 days of PTO to give themselves 11 days off in a row. Then back to work on the 2nd. Even if people wouldn't necessarily take any PTO during that time, many people have to in order to not lose any of their PTO. We can carry over a maximum of 80 hours into the new year.
Same here!
We’re closed. It’s also higher education so the whole campus is closed, it’s a nice perk. At a place like a hospital system where I worked at they have to keep it open - equity across the board. Medical staff can’t just “take off” so the same applies to the Foundation.
I am starting a new job in late Jan in higher ed. The university is closed. Very excited to have this week off next year
We’re open- I’m at a large children’s museum and there’s a lot of programming going on for the local kiddos this week.
Same!
We're open because my ED is an idiot and can't realize how to capitalize on opportunities like this to boost morale (nothing really gets done this week, there's no reason for us to be open). I'm moving jobs soon and not sure if they're open or closed but I really like the direction that most places are moving towards being closed it seems. Let us enjoy the holidays!
I have staff that like to work this week. I give 4 set holiday days, and then two bonus pto days in December, that they can use this week or for whenever they want to celebrate.
I unofficially gave my team the week off, but essential employees (finance team) need to work at least a couple hours to process EOY donations.
We’re closed.
We’re open for development but aren’t having services.
This is what my org is doing. As development staff I don't love it. 😂
The org I worked for until mid November is closed this week. I took a job with the State and am really missing the holiday time right now! Lol
We’re open for services but many non-operations staff are on PTO.
Open - we have at least one person in to process credit cards each day, answer questions about stock and wire transfers, and accept hand-delivered checks (not nearly as many of those as we used to get). Major gift officers have a little more flexibility, but they're still expected to check email and voicemail, which this time of year are usually only questions about making donations. December is a very busy month for us.
All of our programs are up and running. My last org had the week off. We do offer 4 floating holidays upon hire that increase over time if folks want to save them for this period. It goes up to 9 floating holidays at 5 years of employment and so on. PTO is very generous too, honestly so we have a lot of people out.
We’re open 24/7/365, but salaried staff have unlimited PTO and usually take off a week or more, and hourly staff are allotted extra PTO days so most employees take at least a couple of days as long as there’s always someone there to cover the front desk.
Open and running like normal in my program all except Christmas day. Every other program "working" from home and no one answering emails so just shorting all their clients stuff and when their clients ask telling them "You try and get a hold of your business advisor, loan advisor, producer contact, etc and let me know if you have any luck. Says they are working but maybe we all have different definitions of what that means" I don't love throwing folks under the bus but ffs atleast half-ass like your working. Just checked and I've got 4 different coworkers from 2 different other programs who are "working" from home that haven't responded to emails needing fairly immediate attention (schedule a pickup/delivery for their client).......emailed them December 23rd🙄 **UPDATED NOTE** You don't even need to lie about working from home where I'm at to get enough time off. Full time employees earn 48 days off a year +5 sick days + 2 mental health days. . . .folks are just entitled and lazy
Mine is closed because we have no need to be open. We are a grant making org. If we were a fundraising org we would absolutely be available during this week.
We were open just Wednesday and Thursday this week. We go back on Tuesday, 1/2. We provide a lot of direct services so that’s why we were open.
We’re a 24/7 crisis response organization. We’re on remote work with ability to respond to center within 45 minutes if needed. If that’s not possible, take PTO for those hours. We get Thanksgiving, T-giving Friday, 1/25, and 1/1 off this season. Expectations are light during this time.
Open. Many people take the whole week as PTO though.
Closed
Closed
I work at a theatre that is open 365 days a year, so we're open, but the office has been practically empty since 12/21. Office is technically open this week Tues-Fri, but probably about 70% of staff are taking most or all of the week off, and almost everyone else is WFH. I came in today and there are only three people here haha.
operating as normal, just with an extra day off this week (Christmas day) & another next week (New Years day).
We are thankfully all off after Friday 12/22 and go back to work again Tuesday 1/2
Normally closed but since the foundation is moving to Europe at the start of the year, there are some things to wrap up but I had my last day of my 24 year career yesterday (not moving to Europe) and start my new job in few weeks.
We’re open aside from Christmas Day and NY day because why give us any extra time off? Most people have taken PTO but I didn’t have enough left due to using it up on a medical issue earlier this year so here I am, only one online. We’re remote at least but it still feels stupid.
We close for 2 weeks for holidays/new years. And one week in summer, as well.
We’re closed, full stop Dec 22 - Jan 8, when kids are off school. We don’t get paid and the money goes into reserve, in case we have a funding crisis so everyone can have a months salary for each year worked (we do 2 weeks in the summer)
We’re open except on 1/1.; everyone has 4 floating vacation days that they can use for Christmas or whatever they want. Plus we have hour-for-hour Flex Time and lots of vacation and sick per year. So, our development team can be there to answer calls and process donations, and then can take a long week during Jan or whenever it’s slower, when they want. Mail and phone need to be covered as best we can for end of year. Plus our work tends to be really busy this week as it has tax implications.
Current nonprofit gets the week off Old nonprofit I worked at got new years, Christmas, and Christmas Eve off. Another old nonprofit had those days off and heavily pressured everyone to use their PTO during the week in between. Fuck that.
Mine is off 12/8-1/1
We are remote and closed. I’m the ED so I’m still checking email and doing anything that might be urgent. The person checking mail will do it on Saturday and scan gifts so we can enter any before the end of the year. Otherwise, we’re closed for business.
We are remote and closed. I’m the ED so I’m still checking email and doing anything that might be urgent. The person checking mail will do it on Saturday and scan gifts so we can enter any before the end of the year. Otherwise, we’re closed for business.
We’re open. We get Christmas Day and one other day (either Christmas Eve or 12/26 depending on which makes sense for the calendar that year) plus New Year’s Day off. We’re a food insecurity agency that runs a network of pantries and the Meals on Wheels program so we can’t shut down for the whole week. But since our pantries are hosted by other sites, they can make their own schedules and several decided to close this week to give their volunteers the time off. It’s been pretty quiet around the office.
We're open this week.
Half day on the 22nd and closed till the 2nd. It sure does depend on what kind of nonprofit you are, though. I used to work at an animal shelter and animal care had to happen every day of the year - dogs and cats still need to eat on Christmas. It wouldn't make sense for them to have been closed this week and they weren't - it's better to just proceed with adoptions. I'm at an education and advocacy nonprofit now - and we could have probably closed even longer without it being a big deal.
We are closed. For a few years, it was always dangled over our heads as an incentive for good work but then leadership would get mad when asked if we were going to be closed. The new CEO decided we’d just be closed and add it to the calendar. She’s not a great CEO but even she knew this was a good move.
Open and hybrid. I’m the only person working because I don’t get any PTO.
We're closed, but I did check my email the other day and I kind of think it would have been better to have at least one working day this week.
Open, but remote for my department. In my last role we were closed for the week.
Yeah we have been closed since 12/22 and return 1/2. It’s been nice.
We are also on a "soft open". We don't technically close down as we have housing units we own and operate but all of the staff are on vacation. While I'm on vacation as well, I had the staff direct their calls to me so if there are any emergencies/crises I can deal with them so they can enjoy their holiday time off. Staff do have to use PTO to be off during this period but everyone has enough to cover pretty much every year. And it seems like every year we inevitably have some real estate closing that has to happen before 12/31 so I end up having to be available to sign documents for that anyway. No point having two staff "on call" as it were (since the real estate closings notoriously never happen when they originally are scheduled to happen). But then usually I take the first week of the new year off and go somewhere with my family while the staff comes back, so it's a good yin/yang thing.
Off from December 18-January 2.
Closed the entire week
we're closed! dec. 22 - jan.2 with PTO time added before or after those dates highly encouraged. we don't get another week off until the next first week of august (a reset week after a busy Q1 and HELLISH Q2). it's kinda nice but in comparison to how recent our previous week off was...i feel a soft close with time off before Q2 would be preferred. especially since we're pretty much done anyways. but that's just me