Holiday Notice Format for Office and Factory

A holiday notice tells employees that the office, branch or plant will be closed for a festival or national holiday, and what that means for those who must work. It gives the date, the occasion, which locations it applies to, the arrangements for essential staff and shift workers, and when work resumes. For multi-location companies, a short, clear notice prevents the usual confusion about whether the Pune branch follows the Mumbai holiday list.

When to use it: Issue it at least a week before the holiday, and again as a reminder a day or two before for festivals where dates shift with the calendar. HR issues it after confirming the date with the state holiday list and the company's approved annual holiday calendar. Display it on notice boards and share it by email and the company's internal channels.

Holiday notice format template

Copy the text below and replace everything in square brackets with your company details.

[Company Name]
[Office or Plant Address]
[City], [State] [PIN Code]

NOTICE
Ref: [Company Code]/HR/HOL/[Year]/[Number]
Date: [Date]

To: All employees of [Company Name], [Locations or Branches Covered]

Subject: Holiday on account of [Occasion] on [Holiday Date]

This is to inform all employees that [the office / the plant / all branches in State] will remain closed on [Day], [Holiday Date], on account of [Occasion], as per the company's holiday calendar for [Year]. Work will resume as usual on [Day], [Resumption Date].

Employees in essential services, including [security, utilities, maintenance or customer support], will work as per the roster shared by their department heads.
Employees who work on the holiday will receive [a compensatory off to be taken within Number days / holiday pay as per the overtime and holiday policy], after approval by the reporting manager.
The optional holiday for [Occasion, if any] on [Date] may be availed by employees who have not used their optional holiday quota, with prior approval.
Night shift employees whose shift starts on [Date Before Holiday] will [complete that shift / follow the special roster].

Department heads are requested to plan work, customer commitments and dispatches accordingly, and to inform clients and vendors of the closure in advance.

[Company Name] wishes all employees and their families a happy [Occasion].

[HR Manager Name]
[Designation], Human Resources
For [Company Name]

Acknowledgement

Notice displayed on [Date] at [Notice Board Locations]. Employees in departments without email access sign the circulation register maintained by [Supervisor or HR Name]:
Name, Employee ID, Signature: ____________

What to include

Locations covered

Say which offices, branches or plants the holiday applies to. Holiday lists differ between states, and a notice that simply says all employees creates confusion across locations.

Essential and shift staff

Explain who must work, how the roster is shared and what they get in return, compensatory off or holiday pay. This is what staff in security, maintenance and support most want to know.

Resumption date

State the next working day. When a holiday falls next to a weekly off or another holiday, people often assume a longer break.

Check the state list

The number and dates of national and festival holidays are governed by state rules for shops, establishments and factories. Confirm the date against your state's notified list before issuing.

Reach everyone

Display on notice boards and use a circulation register for shop-floor or field staff without email. A notice that only reaches office staff leaves plant and site workers unsure.

Common mistakes to avoid

Issuing the notice the evening before the holiday.
Not saying which branches or states the holiday covers.
Leaving out what essential staff working on the holiday will receive.
Announcing a festival holiday on the wrong date when the date shifts by region.
Sharing it only by email with staff who do not use email.

Run it in ZeniaHR

In ZeniaHR's Holiday Calendars, HR adds each holiday by year in one of six categories, applies it to chosen branches and departments, marks optional holidays with a pick limit and sets recurring ones. Employees see the holiday list for their own branch in My Self-Service. Holidays feed attendance, leave sandwich rules and payroll, and comp-off can be granted for worked holidays. For the notice itself, post an announcement on the Company Wall that requires acknowledgement.

Attendance Leave management Shifts and rosters

See it on your own data

A 30-minute demo on a video call. We set up your departments, shifts and leave rules and show attendance, leave and payroll running for your team. Free for your first 50 employees.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I write a holiday notice for employees?

Give the occasion, the date and day, the locations covered and the date work resumes. Add arrangements for essential and shift staff and what they receive for working, any optional holiday details, and a short festive greeting. Sign it from HR and display it where every employee will see it.

How many national and festival holidays must a company give in India?

The number of national and festival holidays is set by state laws and the Shops and Establishments or factory rules of each state, so it differs by location. Check the list notified for your state each year and build the company holiday calendar from it.

What do employees get for working on a holiday?

It depends on the company's policy and the applicable state rules. Common approaches are a compensatory off within a set period or holiday pay at a higher rate. State the arrangement in the holiday notice and the holiday policy so there is no argument later.

What is an optional holiday?

An optional or restricted holiday is one employees can choose from a list, up to a set number a year, to match their own festivals. The office stays open, and each employee picks the days that matter to them with prior approval.