As we approach the intensive holiday part of the year, I am always asked about company policies relative to holiday time off, skeleton crews and differential pay for holiday work. It seems there is a growing tension during this time between the needs of the company for productive work and the needs of the team member for family time.

I am often asked, “Why do people always seem to bring their personal lives to work?” The answer is very simple. People bring their personal lives to work because they have personal lives. All of this talk about separating personal lives and work lives, striking a balance between work life and home life is mildly amusing. I never ask how I can keep them separate. I always ask, “How can our lives, at work, support our individual needs for family, religious observance and recreation (re-creation)?” and “How can our personal lives, our family life, our ethics, our re-creation support our lives at work?”

Stop the schizophrenia. We are all whole people, with needs for important contribution at work and needs for family and individuality.

As we roll into this holiday season, I hope you get lots of presents under your Turkey. —TF