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2 in 3 employers allow staff to swap public holidays for other religious or cultural days

  • 65% of Australian workers say their employer allows them to take another culturally or religiously significant day off in return for working a gazetted public holiday
  • 15% of workers always swap a gazetted public holiday for another day that is significant to them
  • 64% of workers say it is important to them to be able to swap gazetted public holidays for others that are culturally or religiously significant
  • 62% of workers believe taking off a culturally or religiously significant day instead of the gazetted public holiday would improve employee morale and inclusivity in the workplace
Sydney, 15 January 2025 – With Australia Day around the corner, there is a growing awareness among employers about the importance of workplace inclusivity by enabling employees to tailor their public holidays to their personal cultural and religious days of significance1. New independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half reveals almost two-thirds (65%) of workers say their employer allows them to swap a gazetted public holiday2 for a day that is culturally or religiously significant to them. For example, an alternative day to Australia Day or Christmas Day. While only 47% of workers take an alternative day off, the policy is seen to create a welcoming work environment while improving workplace morale by the majority (62%) of workers. How workers are embracing alternative public holidays Of the 65% of workers whose employer allows them to swap a gazetted public holiday for a day that is culturally or religiously significant to them: 15% always take an alternative public holiday 32% may take an alternative public holiday, depending on the day the public holiday falls 19% do not take an alternative public holiday, despite being able to do so Meanwhile 35% of workers say their employer does not allow them to swap public holidays for other days of religious and cultural significance. Of this group: 18% would take an alternative public holiday if they had the option 17% would not swap days The importance of alternative public holidays to workers Most (64%) workers say it is important for them to have the option to swap a gazetted public holiday with another day for cultural and religious reasons. Only 36% of workers say it is not important for them.  While all generations agree on the importance of swapping gazetted public holidays, younger generations demonstrate a stronger preference: 74% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials consider it important, compared to 59% of Baby Boomers and 58% of Gen X. “There is a growing recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to public holidays doesn't work in today's diverse workforce,” says Nicole Gorton, Director at Robert Half. “The modern workplace has people from many different backgrounds, cultures and religions, so allowing employees to choose when they take time off work to mark their particular days of significance does not only reflect this diversity, but also acknowledges an employee’s needs, and promotes a sense of belonging and inclusivity." The effect of alternative public holidays on workplace morale The research reveals 62% of workers believe the option to take another culturally or religiously significant day off in lieu of a gazetted public holiday would improve workplace morale as well as inclusivity. A further 16% of workers are unsure, while 22% state it would either not affect morale or inclusivity, or there would be no improvement. Most workers in each generation believe access to alternative public holidays would be positive for staff morale and inclusivity, with Gen Z (73%) and Millennial (62%) employees most likely seeing the benefits, compared with Gen X (60%) and Baby Boomers (53%). “The trend and demand for more flexibility also applies to how public holidays are observed with more employees expecting their employer to recognise their culturally significant days,” Gorton says. “It demonstrates that employers trust and respect their employees, fostering a more inclusive and flexible workplace culture. “Even if an employee does not choose to swap any or all of their public holidays, giving employees the option can be a powerful tool to attract and retain top talent. In a competitive job market, offering this kind of flexibility gives employers a distinct edge, particularly among younger generations who highly value strong DEI policies. “Implementing this policy requires careful planning and communication to ensure operational needs are met and fairness is maintained across the workforce. While generally positive, this approach may require adjustments to team workflows and scheduling, especially for businesses with strict operational requirements,” concludes Gorton.
Some modern awards and enterprise agreements allow substitution or may otherwise restrict an employee’s ability to swap or not permit employees to swap their public holidays. Eight public holidays are gazetted nationally, including Australia Day, King’s Birthday and Christmas Day. Each state also gazettes its own public holidays, such as Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria and Show holidays in Queensland.

Notes to editors

About the research The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in November 2024 by an independent research company of 1000 full-time office workers in finance, accounting, business support, and IT and technology. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs as well as large private, publicly-listed and public sector organisations across Australia. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management, and trends in the workplace.    About Robert Half Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.  Robert Half Australia has offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Mount Waverley, Perth and Sydney. More information on roberthalf.com/au.      For more information     Courtney Fletcher PR Manager Courtney.Fletcher@roberthalf.com.au  +61 421 209 304