Work-life balance is in the spotlight, come festivity. And India Inc is going the extra mile for employees — giving four to nine days off during Diwali, flexibility at work, floating leaves, and even doing away with so called sandwich leaves, said industry executives.
Companies such as Deloitte, JSW MG Motor, Meesho, Myntra, The Good Glamm Group, XYXX, CashKaro and EarnKaro are allowing their workforce more time off, as they believe such breaks help employees spend more time with friends and family and return to work all rejuvenated and charged up, the executives said.
For the fourth consecutive year, ecommerce firm Meesho has announced a nine-day company-wide ‘reset and recharge’ break from October 26 to November 3 for all 1,500 employees.
“This is part of our broader MeeCARE wellness programme, designed to support a healthy work-life balance, allowing employees to recharge physically, mentally and emotionally while enjoying quality time with their loved ones during this special time of year,” said Ashish Kumar Singh, chief human resources officer at Meesho, in an email to ET.
Myntra employees will get additional holidays from October 31 to November 4, for a longer Diwali break. “To ensure our employees can fully recharge and celebrate with their loved ones, we've implemented a company-wide leave policy that coincides with the Diwali weekend,” said Govindraj MK, chief human resources officer at Myntra. Combined with the festive holidays, this provides everyone with a well-deserved break of five days, he said.
Deloitte has two days off for Diwali, followed by the weekend.
At men’s wear brand XYXX, besides the pre-set days off and leaves, each employee has the option to take 'floating' holidays. “This allows them to celebrate festivals that are personally meaningful to them — whether it's Eid, Pujo, Navratri, Chhath Puja, or any other,” said Petal Gangurde, chief of brand and culture at XYXX.
Employees can decide when to take a paid leave as part of the floating leave policy. Many companies, including XYXX, are now supporting the time-off culture throughout the year. However, for many employees who live away from their hometown and families, the festive season is an ideal time to take longer breaks.
“We support this by giving flexibility, allowing them to take the time they need or even work from their hometown for a couple of weeks if needed,” said Gangurde.
CashKaro and EarnKaro (part of CashKaro) have established a dedicated paid leave policy for major holidays. “In addition to our standard annual leave, we provide employees with 13 paid holidays to commemorate these special occasions,” said Rohan Bhargava, cofounder of CashKaro and EarnKaro.
CashKaro is giving extra leave around Diwali, which makes it a four-day break, said Bhargava. “This allows our team members to fully immerse themselves in the festivities and traditions.” The company also recently eliminated the sandwich leave policy.
Sandwich leaves refer to nonworking days such as weekends or holidays that are counted as part of an employee's leave if they fall between regular leaves. For instance, if an employee takes leave on Friday and Monday, the intervening weekend is counted among leave days.
Beauty and personal care conglomerate The Good Glamm Group, rather than assigning additional days off for specific festivals, is offering flexibility to its 800- plus employees to take time off during special occasions. Similarly, JSW MG Motor India has implemented a strategic approach to work-life integration through its comprehensive leave policy and flexible work arrangements, said its Yeshwinder Patial, senior director, HR.
Companies such as Deloitte, JSW MG Motor, Meesho, Myntra, The Good Glamm Group, XYXX, CashKaro and EarnKaro are allowing their workforce more time off, as they believe such breaks help employees spend more time with friends and family and return to work all rejuvenated and charged up, the executives said.
For the fourth consecutive year, ecommerce firm Meesho has announced a nine-day company-wide ‘reset and recharge’ break from October 26 to November 3 for all 1,500 employees.
“This is part of our broader MeeCARE wellness programme, designed to support a healthy work-life balance, allowing employees to recharge physically, mentally and emotionally while enjoying quality time with their loved ones during this special time of year,” said Ashish Kumar Singh, chief human resources officer at Meesho, in an email to ET.
Myntra employees will get additional holidays from October 31 to November 4, for a longer Diwali break. “To ensure our employees can fully recharge and celebrate with their loved ones, we've implemented a company-wide leave policy that coincides with the Diwali weekend,” said Govindraj MK, chief human resources officer at Myntra. Combined with the festive holidays, this provides everyone with a well-deserved break of five days, he said.
Deloitte has two days off for Diwali, followed by the weekend.
Pre-set Days Off Through Year
“We also encourage our people to take bridge days off, where one can take a couple of days sandwiched between holidays and weekends for an extended break,” said Deepti Sagar, chief people and experience officer, Deloitte India. Through the year, the guidance to employees is to avail at least two days of leave per quarter, she said.At men’s wear brand XYXX, besides the pre-set days off and leaves, each employee has the option to take 'floating' holidays. “This allows them to celebrate festivals that are personally meaningful to them — whether it's Eid, Pujo, Navratri, Chhath Puja, or any other,” said Petal Gangurde, chief of brand and culture at XYXX.
Employees can decide when to take a paid leave as part of the floating leave policy. Many companies, including XYXX, are now supporting the time-off culture throughout the year. However, for many employees who live away from their hometown and families, the festive season is an ideal time to take longer breaks.
“We support this by giving flexibility, allowing them to take the time they need or even work from their hometown for a couple of weeks if needed,” said Gangurde.
CashKaro and EarnKaro (part of CashKaro) have established a dedicated paid leave policy for major holidays. “In addition to our standard annual leave, we provide employees with 13 paid holidays to commemorate these special occasions,” said Rohan Bhargava, cofounder of CashKaro and EarnKaro.
CashKaro is giving extra leave around Diwali, which makes it a four-day break, said Bhargava. “This allows our team members to fully immerse themselves in the festivities and traditions.” The company also recently eliminated the sandwich leave policy.
Sandwich leaves refer to nonworking days such as weekends or holidays that are counted as part of an employee's leave if they fall between regular leaves. For instance, if an employee takes leave on Friday and Monday, the intervening weekend is counted among leave days.
Beauty and personal care conglomerate The Good Glamm Group, rather than assigning additional days off for specific festivals, is offering flexibility to its 800- plus employees to take time off during special occasions. Similarly, JSW MG Motor India has implemented a strategic approach to work-life integration through its comprehensive leave policy and flexible work arrangements, said its Yeshwinder Patial, senior director, HR.
