Are you working Thanksgiving? If so, you are not alone.

Working on Thanksgiving has been a hot topic in recent years. Should businesses be open or closed? The national opinion is divided on the matter. Some feel business should be closed to encourage work-life balance. Others prefer the option to earn extra wages. And some simply enjoy the convenience of shopping during retail holiday hours.

The Survey Says…

If you are working this Thanksgiving you aren’t alone. A recent survey by Beyond.com finds that more job seekers are willing to work on Thanksgiving than not. In fact, this year, 56% of those surveyed said that they are already working or willing to work on Thanksgiving. That is an increase from last year where only 48% of respondents said they would work.

The reality is that not everyone enjoys spending time with family or has a family to visit. There is a decent population of single and/or childless adults that don’t mind working on a holiday. As one of those single and childless adults, I personally enjoy the time off.  When I lived in a different state than my entire family, I enjoyed  the “me time”on Thanksgiving to prepare for the family Christmas gatherings.   However, this isn’t about me. This is about choice and many choose to work. For them it’s not a dreary choice or a dreaded obligation.

Retailers are not the only ones working on holidays. There are plenty of occupations that simply must work on a holiday, namely police and emergency personnel. For them it is still a matter of choice. It’s just choosing which holidays to work. These shifts are often rotated fairly by seniority. The employees know well in advance and can make arrangements with their family to celebrate on a different day, if they wish. Even so, these workplaces often have their own Thanksgiving celebrations and for some it may be more fun than a family event.

So celebrate Thanksgiving however you wish. Earn some extra income, go shopping, or eat drink & be merry with family and/or friends. The day of thanks is all about celebrating the harvest of joy and plenty. Gobble it up and enjoy!