Different lists for different desks
Head office and back-office operations can follow a normal list of national holidays and major festivals. Branches may open on some festivals with a skeleton team, because families walk in to plan trips during the holidays. Airport desks run every day of the year, and implant desks follow the client's list. Because each holiday can be switched on for particular branches and departments only, a single calendar holds all of these lists without confusion.
Holiday duty at airports and branches
Airport representatives on duty on Diwali, Independence Day or New Year's Day should get something back: a comp-off to take later, or the holiday hours paid at the overtime policy's holiday rate. Roster holiday duty in turns, so the same people do not work every festival. For branches that open on a festival with a skeleton team, settle the rule before the season and put it in writing, so the consultant who opens the branch on Dhanteras knows what they earn for it.
Tour managers away on holidays
A tour manager leading a Europe departure over Christmas and New Year works through two holidays. When the tour's on duty records are confirmed, HR grants a comp-off for each holiday worked, in addition to comp-off for weekly offs worked, unless the tour allowance policy already covers them. Write this rule into the tour manager's terms, since people on the road easily lose track of which days were holidays at home.
Implant desks and optional festivals
Implant staff at a client's office usually follow the client's holiday list, because the desk has nobody to serve when the client is closed. Apply the client's holidays to the implant department or branch as company holidays. For everyone else, offer a small set of optional holidays, such as Eid, Christmas, Onam, Pongal and Guru Nanak Jayanti, and let staff pick early in the year, before peak-season rosters are set.
How to set it up in ZeniaHR
- Enter the head office holiday list in Holiday Calendars, flagging fixed-date holidays as recurring.
- Apply festival holidays branch by branch, leaving out the branches and desks that stay open on those days.
- Add each implant client's holidays as company holidays applied only to that implant's branch or department.
- In the overtime policy, set the holiday multiplier or the comp-off payout for staff on holiday duty.
- Grant comp-off for holidays worked on tour after confirming the tour's on duty records.
- Set an optional holiday pick limit, and review who picked which festival before peak-season rosters are drawn up.
Read more about holiday calendars in ZeniaHR.
Roles this applies to
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Do travel agency branches stay open on festivals?
Many open with a smaller team on some festivals, because families plan trips during the holidays. Whoever works those days is owed a day off later or holiday pay, as the policy states, and holiday duty should rotate so the same people do not work every festival.
How are holidays handled for airport representatives?
Airport desks run every day, so holidays are worked by rota. Each representative who works a holiday gets a comp-off, or pay at the overtime policy's holiday multiplier, set no lower than double the ordinary rate. Publish the holiday rota early so people can plan around it.
Do implant desk staff follow the client's holidays?
Usually yes, because the desk exists to serve the client's staff. Apply the client's holiday list to the implant desk as company holidays, and check the implant agreement for any days the desk must stay open while the client is closed.
Do tour managers get extra days for holidays spent on tour?
They should get a comp-off for each holiday worked on tour, unless the tour allowance policy clearly covers holidays. HR grants the credit after the tour's on duty records are confirmed, and it can be combined with the rest days taken after the tour.