Iran’s calendar in dire need of reform
Maziar
Motamedi, Al Monitor, June 22, 2018
There
will be several benefits to the national economy if Iran’s government finally
establishes a five-day work week in the country.
will be several benefits to the national economy if Iran’s government finally
establishes a five-day work week in the country.
 |
|
Image by
Hugo Goodridge/Al-Monitor |
Last
month, Iran’s education minister said he intends to create a two-week
“winter holiday” before the new Iranian school year starts
this fall. In exchange, students will start their academic year two weeks
earlier. The goal is to create a new holiday period that could boost local
tourism at a time of year when business is usually slow.
If
implemented, the move will particularly benefit Iran’s southern provinces, as
families will be incentivized to visit the warmer climates in winter
rather than make later trips to the more popular Caspian Sea provinces in the
north. It would also bring a much-needed boost to employment and production in
the south.
implemented, the move will particularly benefit Iran’s southern provinces, as
families will be incentivized to visit the warmer climates in winter
rather than make later trips to the more popular Caspian Sea provinces in the
north. It would also bring a much-needed boost to employment and production in
the south.
However,
the scheme is but a small portion of what needs to be done to address
challenges created by the country’s calendar. The re-imposition of tough
US sanctions following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the
nuclear deal has provided an added and strong incentive to boost efficiency in
the economy, including steps to more closely align Iran with international
work-week norms.
the scheme is but a small portion of what needs to be done to address
challenges created by the country’s calendar. The re-imposition of tough
US sanctions following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the
nuclear deal has provided an added and strong incentive to boost efficiency in
the economy, including steps to more closely align Iran with international
work-week norms.
Many if
not most Iranians believe that Iran has more holidays compared to other
countries, especially given the large number of pre-Islamic as well as
religious holidays. However, this is a major misperception.
Iran has 24 official holidays — higher than China’s 18 and 20 in more than
50 countries across Europe and the Americas. However, since only Fridays are
considered an official weekend, Iranians have a total of 76 days off every
year. In comparison, two-day weekends — the norm in most developed
economies — add up to 104 days off per year, in addition to official
holidays.
not most Iranians believe that Iran has more holidays compared to other
countries, especially given the large number of pre-Islamic as well as
religious holidays. However, this is a major misperception.
Iran has 24 official holidays — higher than China’s 18 and 20 in more than
50 countries across Europe and the Americas. However, since only Fridays are
considered an official weekend, Iranians have a total of 76 days off every
year. In comparison, two-day weekends — the norm in most developed
economies — add up to 104 days off per year, in addition to official
holidays.
The
administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani is in favor of adding
a day off each
week, an idea several officials have advocated —
especially those within the Tourism Organization since the local tourism
industry would be a major beneficiary. A proposal to this end has found its way
to the parliament as well, but has remained dormant due to Iran’s
bureaucracy and because the country is battling so
many problems deemed more urgent.
administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani is in favor of adding
a day off each
week, an idea several officials have advocated —
especially those within the Tourism Organization since the local tourism
industry would be a major beneficiary. A proposal to this end has found its way
to the parliament as well, but has remained dormant due to Iran’s
bureaucracy and because the country is battling so
many problems deemed more urgent.
There are
many angles to the issue of calendar reform, with various economic,
social, cultural and even religious ramifications. Abbas Argon, a senior member
of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA),
believes that the main negative consequence of the long work week in Iran
is reduced work efficiency.
many angles to the issue of calendar reform, with various economic,
social, cultural and even religious ramifications. Abbas Argon, a senior member
of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA),
believes that the main negative consequence of the long work week in Iran
is reduced work efficiency.
“Just
clocking in at work is not the issue here. What matters is that we increase the
efficiency of our workforce,” he told Al-Monitor. “We should be after
increasing motivation to do good work.”
clocking in at work is not the issue here. What matters is that we increase the
efficiency of our workforce,” he told Al-Monitor. “We should be after
increasing motivation to do good work.”
In
addition, the discrepancy between the Iranian work week and those of many
developed economies means that the office hours of businesses and government
institutions align only on Monday through Wednesday, causing
endless obstacles such as delays in correspondence. At
present, Thursdays are semi-holidays and all government ministries
and their affiliated entities and companies, in tandem with schools, are
closed. Banks are open only until around noon, and many private businesses
usually choose to close shop earlier than usual.
addition, the discrepancy between the Iranian work week and those of many
developed economies means that the office hours of businesses and government
institutions align only on Monday through Wednesday, causing
endless obstacles such as delays in correspondence. At
present, Thursdays are semi-holidays and all government ministries
and their affiliated entities and companies, in tandem with schools, are
closed. Banks are open only until around noon, and many private businesses
usually choose to close shop earlier than usual.
If Iran
does introduce an additional day off to conform to the international norm of a
five-day work week, its total number of holidays will exceed that of most countries, presenting
a conundrum. For instance, since many of Iran’s current holidays are religious
in nature, there will be resistance on the part of the clergy to the
elimination of at least some of the existing holidays. Some steps to this end
have already been taken. About two years ago, the Iran Chamber of Commerce,
Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) commenced negotiations
with clerics on this matter.
does introduce an additional day off to conform to the international norm of a
five-day work week, its total number of holidays will exceed that of most countries, presenting
a conundrum. For instance, since many of Iran’s current holidays are religious
in nature, there will be resistance on the part of the clergy to the
elimination of at least some of the existing holidays. Some steps to this end
have already been taken. About two years ago, the Iran Chamber of Commerce,
Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) commenced negotiations
with clerics on this matter.
But Argon
says the religious aspect of the Iranian calendar does not necessarily need to
be seen as a barrier. “In my opinion, we must work harder during religious
‘eids’ and not declare them as days off.”
says the religious aspect of the Iranian calendar does not necessarily need to
be seen as a barrier. “In my opinion, we must work harder during religious
‘eids’ and not declare them as days off.”
As the
main representatives of the private sector, ICCIMA and TCCIMA have been
spearheading efforts to make weekends longer. The latter formed a
committee through its in-house tourism commission in July 2016 and presented its
plan to the government two months later. Meanwhile, its members have
repeatedly called for a five-day work
week to be instituted.
main representatives of the private sector, ICCIMA and TCCIMA have been
spearheading efforts to make weekends longer. The latter formed a
committee through its in-house tourism commission in July 2016 and presented its
plan to the government two months later. Meanwhile, its members have
repeatedly called for a five-day work
week to be instituted.
Albert
Boghossian, an economist and university professor, lists a boost to tourism as
the main boon of an initiative to alter the calendar. “The goal here is to
increase people’s free time so that they can travel more often and improve
local tourism,” he told Al-Monitor. “From this perspective, no harm
will come to national production and the country’s economy,” despite
what some critics have said.
Boghossian, an economist and university professor, lists a boost to tourism as
the main boon of an initiative to alter the calendar. “The goal here is to
increase people’s free time so that they can travel more often and improve
local tourism,” he told Al-Monitor. “From this perspective, no harm
will come to national production and the country’s economy,” despite
what some critics have said.
But even
if the two-day weekend were to materialize, there is the question of which day
should be added to it. Of the 114 countries that were listed in a recent study
in terms of official
holidays, only Iran, Afghanistan and Djibouti have Friday as their
only official day off. In light of Friday’s religious significance in
Islam, Fridays and Saturdays form weekends in almost all other Muslim
nations, including Iran’s neighbors. As such,
a logical choice would be Saturday, said both Argon and
Boghossian.
if the two-day weekend were to materialize, there is the question of which day
should be added to it. Of the 114 countries that were listed in a recent study
in terms of official
holidays, only Iran, Afghanistan and Djibouti have Friday as their
only official day off. In light of Friday’s religious significance in
Islam, Fridays and Saturdays form weekends in almost all other Muslim
nations, including Iran’s neighbors. As such,
a logical choice would be Saturday, said both Argon and
Boghossian.
“Thursdays
and Fridays are practically off days in Iran at the moment, while
Saturdays and Sundays are holidays in most other countries,” Argon said.
“We must go about this in a way that would maximize our interactions
through coordination with the holidays of other countries.”
and Fridays are practically off days in Iran at the moment, while
Saturdays and Sundays are holidays in most other countries,” Argon said.
“We must go about this in a way that would maximize our interactions
through coordination with the holidays of other countries.”
Piecing
together all pieces of the puzzle, a clear image of one step that needs to
be taken to aid the country’s struggling economy emerges, especially with US
sanctions around the corner. Yet progress on calendar reform continues to drag
due to a lack of coordination and insight into its importance. But all is not
in vain. It is thought that things will likely accelerate when and
if the proposal to turn the Tourism
Organization into a ministry is cleared by parliament. The general
outlines of this proposal were approved in May, but it is unclear how long it
will take lawmakers to ratify its details.
together all pieces of the puzzle, a clear image of one step that needs to
be taken to aid the country’s struggling economy emerges, especially with US
sanctions around the corner. Yet progress on calendar reform continues to drag
due to a lack of coordination and insight into its importance. But all is not
in vain. It is thought that things will likely accelerate when and
if the proposal to turn the Tourism
Organization into a ministry is cleared by parliament. The general
outlines of this proposal were approved in May, but it is unclear how long it
will take lawmakers to ratify its details.
