You’d be forgiven if you think that, in Malta, everyone celebrates Christmas one way or another. Perhaps through a staff party, a gathering of friends, or a family event. In fact, in our recent Keepmeposted survey, we asked workers in Malta. The exact portion of people in Malta who celebrate Christmas is 72%. This means that it may come as a surprise to find out that even though people in Malta celebrate Christmas, they don’t mind working the holidays. Almost 70% don’t mind, and another 15% actually prefer to work during the Christmas holidays. 17.8% wouldn’t work during the holidays.
Do different age groups perceive working the holidays differently?
Among those aged 18 to 35, 72% do not mind working during the Christmas period, 13.7% prefer to work during this period and 14.6% do not want to work during the holidays. In the slightly older age group of those aged 36 to 55, the percentage of those who do not want to work during the holidays increased to 20.4%, whereas it decreased by almost 9 percentage points for people who don’t mind working the holidays versus their younger counterparts. Of this older age group, 16.3% would actually prefer to work the holidays.
Of those who answered that are male, and celebrating Christmas, 16% prefer to work during the holidays, whereas in the case of female respondents only 11.8% prefer to work over the holidays. 67.2% of females and 62.3% of males who celebrate Christmas don’t mind working the holidays. 21.6% of male respondents and 21% of female respondents who celebrate Christmas, do not want to work during the holidays,
Results also showed that when asking those who celebrate Christmas, males are more likely to be working over the holidays at 78%, whilst in the case of females, 63% will be working over the holidays.
How do workers in Malta feel about the Christmas shutdown?
Conversely, when asked if they like it when their office takes a Christmas shutdown, 71% of male respondents who celebrate Christmas claimed they like the practice and would take days off anyway. However, almost 20% voted that they find it upsetting that the company decides when to use leave days and another 9.4% said that they prefer to use leave days another time. In the case of female respondents, we see a larger percentage of respondents who would prefer their leave utilised another time at 13%, and another 21.4% (a similar percentage to their male counterparts), find it upsetting that the company decides when to use leave days. 65.5% of female respondents who celebrate Christmas, like Christmas shutdown, and would take days off anyway.
On the other hand, of those female respondents who don’t celebrate Christmas, 43% still like Christmas shutdown and would take days off anyway. This percentage is, unsurprisingly, much lower than their counterparts who celebrate Christmas. Moreover, 29.7% would prefer to use their leave days on other days and 27.5% find it upsetting that the company decides when to use their leave days. Of their male counterparts (those who do not celebrate Christmas), 49% don’t mind Christmas shutdown, and/or would take days off anyway. A similar percentage to that of their female counterparts, 24.6%, would prefer to use their leave on other days, whilst 26.3% find it upsetting that the company decides when to use their leave days.
What do you think of these results? Do you have to work over Christmas? Here are some positives.
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This article refers to a recent survey commissioned by Keepmeposted which targeted over 500+ people based in Malta who come from different industries and varying age groups, between 18 and 65 years of age, through a stratified online sample.
