The company’s chief executive officer, Brian Cornell, said he made the decision after employees told him they wanted to spend the holiday with their family – which, of course, is exactly where they should be.
While closing to customers doesn’t necessarily mean some employees won’t be working, Target’s announcement still sends the public a strong signal that the company is getting the message across.
As someone whose spouse often has to work on major holidays, I can attest that the inability of a family to be together on important occasions takes real damage. This year, my husband got Thanksgiving, but that’s the trade-off for other big holidays. He won’t be around to make Santa cookies with our toddler on Christmas Eve, or to watch our baby open presents on his first Christmas morning. These are the moments you can never get back.
In my family, those sacrifices are worth it because my husband’s job is to protect public health. As an emergency room doctor, when he’s not with us, he often saves lives. The same goes for police officers, firefighters, EMS and other essential workers who we all rely on to keep us safe, even on special days. special – and to whom we are indebted.
But there’s absolutely no reason for non-essential employees to work on major holidays so people can buy consumables.
Americans who want to shop for Thanksgiving can still shop online – or they can buy their products in person before or after the Independence Day holiday. But Target’s decision, in addition to sending a message to the business community, has a social meaning: it subtly encourages people to focus on the things that really matter, like the people in their lives. our own, instead of our consumer culture.
Thanksgiving is a time when we are all reminded to think about what really matters. It’s refreshing to see a company do this. And if other companies follow Target’s lead, prioritizing rest and personal time when it can mean the most, Americans will have something more to be grateful for this year.
