Scores of employees have rushed to take their annual leave in Ramadan, echoing the trends of last Ramadan, in order to devote more time to acts of piety and social engagements, and to escape the high temperatures.
For the last few years, Ramadan has been in the summer season, with its heat and humidity.
Ahmad Aidhah, a marketing employee, said: “It is because of the high temperatures that I seek to take my annual vacation during Ramadan. It’s not easy working when you are hot, hungry and thirsty, not to mention the extremely irritating traffic jams when commuting to and from work.
“In addition, I think that 10 a.m. is too early a start. I think rota scheduling would be better. Some would work mornings and other nights. I also think one shift garners the same level of productivity.”
Zahra Khalid said that her husband has been consistent for many years in taking his annual vacations during Ramadan due to the larger number of social engagements and to devote more time to acts of worship. “There are also many house chores that I cannot carry out on my own, like the annual furniture change,” she said.
Sultan Al-Turk believes that taking annual leave in Ramadan for these reasons is a luxury. “Each and every act you perform while you are fasting is an act of piety for which you will be rewarded. Besides, I do not think that 6 hours of office work is daunting. Imagine how much harder it is for those who are obliged to work under the sun,” he said.
“Of course, we can’t deny that Ramadan has its own rituals, and in many instances we do not really have much time to relax. Yet we must try to strike the right balance,” he added.
Ahmad Basheer, an HR manager, said that “employees know that a vacation is one of their basic rights, as well as choosing the time of year they prefer to take their vacation. But working hours in Ramadan do not always suit employees. We have noticed that many of them rush to take vacations during the holy month,” he said.
“Employees are not always at liberty to choose the time of year they are off. An employee may have to change his vacation time if there is no one else to do the job, or in case of scheduling conflicts,” he added.
Many take their annual vacation in Ramadan
