Diwali is one of India’s biggest festivals family gatherings, celebrations, sweets, decorations and quality time with loved ones. But for working professionals who live away from home it has become increasingly difficult to celebrate Diwali because of work schedules and holidays are few and far between. A Bengaluru based employee posted on social media recently about this issue.
Aayushi wrote how Diwali felt different after moving from Jaipur to Bengaluru for work: “When I was little we used to celebrate Diwali properly in Jaipur it meant a proper vacation so that I had enough time with family and friends.”
But her experience as a working professional in Bengaluru has been different. She says startup work culture often leaves employees with barely one or two days off during the festive season. People who want to go back home and celebrate Diwali with families cannot do that because of it.
In her post she mentioned another common problem employees face during festival holidays some team members take leave but others continue working so nobody can totally disconnect from work.
She asked why companies can’t just shut down for an entire week during Diwali so employees don’t have to worry about pending tasks, office messages or work commitments.
Her post was soon picked up online and several users joined in the conversation about corporate working culture, employee expectations and festival holidays.
Some social media users said that the difference between childhood celebrations and adult life is normal. They said festivals feel more fun in childhood because parents take care of everything (children just enjoy it) but as people get older their professional commitments and personal responsibilities change it.
Others said Indian corporate workplaces treat employee holidays as a privilege rather than an integral part of healthy work-life balance. One user compared India’s festival leave policies to the extended Christmas and New Year holidays some international colleagues reportedly get.
However not everyone liked the idea of shutting down companies for a whole week. Some said essential services cannot stop working during festivals doctors, police personnel, firemen railway and metro employees transport workers other service providers work so that daily life goes on uninterruptedly.
The discussion has once again brought home the difficulties faced by professionals who move to big cities like Bengaluru for jobs. For many people festivals are among the few opportunities to go back home, meet family and reconnect with traditions.
Businesses have needs too (operational requirements), and employees want time to celebrate important occasions without guilt about taking leave.
Aayushi’s post has therefore opened up a wider conversation on whether Indian companies should revisit their festive holiday policies and give employees more time to celebrate with family.
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