Cutting Public Holidays to Boost Growth?

Cutting Public Holidays to Boost Growth? – Business English Lesson

Business English

Level: B1–B2 Time: ~90 min

TEXT:

📋 Overview

1Warmer

2Reading for Gist

3Key Words

4Understanding

5Business Language

6Discussion

7Work Cultures

📰 Article

HIGHLIGHT:

Cutting Public Holidays to Boost Growth? Don't Bank on It

Reducing days off is tempting for policymakers, but rest can help us work more effectively

By Srinidhi Balakrishnan · Financial Times, 24 August 2025

1It was decried as "a direct attack" on France, lambasted as "a symbol of social violence" and, to one critic, compared to being given the finger.

2It is safe to say French Prime minister François Bayrou's attempt last month to scrap two of the country's 11 public holidays went down like a lead balloon.

3The proposal for the 2026 budget hoped that two extra days of work would boost output and help plug a yawning government deficit. "The entire nation must work more to produce [more]," Bayrou declared, comparing the month of May, dotted with four public holidays, to a Gruyère cheese full of holes.

4With governments globally casting about to plug state deficits and gee-up growth, the idea of cutting public holidays can seem an enticingly quick fix. In the past few years, Denmark and Slovakia have both cut public holidays.

5In the US, President Donald Trump marked Juneteenth, a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery, by proclaiming on Truth Social that there are "Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed". Although he himself announced two new public holidays to mark US victory in the world wars, neither will involve a break from work because "there are not enough days left in the year".

6But does working more actually produce more? Bayrou claimed his national holiday cutbacks, which would order France back to work on dates such as Easter Monday and Victory in Europe Day, would raise roughly 4.2 billion euros. That is almost a tenth of the planned 43.8 billion euros in savings needed to narrow France's deficit, the third-worst in the EU after Romania and Poland, according to Eurostat. Yet France's statistical agency Insee estimated that an additional worked holiday would only boost GDP by a negligible 0.06-0.08 per cent.

7In England and Wales, which on August 25 observes one of a relatively measly eight annual public holidays, officials found negative effects of public holidays to GDP are partly offset by a "bounceback" the following months. Plus, while some businesses may take a hit, others such as in retail and tourism are likely to see an increase in demand. As a 2024 House of Commons briefing states, "it is challenging to measure the economic effects associated with an additional bank holiday".

8On the individual level, working longer hours is not necessarily conducive to productivity. Rest is important, particularly what psychologists call "recovery processes" away from the daily grind.

9On vacation days "we're detaching from work, so we're essentially not using the bits of our brain and body that we would be using while working", says Michael Clinton, a professor of work psychology at King's College London. "There's also a resource gain, regaining the energy and motivation that enables us to go back to work with our batteries recharged." He points to a study by the psychologist Sabine Sonnentag, who surveyed workers and found that those who rest after work reported feeling more proactive and engaged the next day.

10Not getting enough rest can also be harmful. Clinton's research shows people have a limited capacity for "self-control", and those who use it up at work can slip into dangerous behaviours later — they are more likely to engage in risky driving, like breaking the speed limit, for example.

11Physical and mental wellbeing aside, recent history tells us scrapping public holidays is not the sharpest political manoeuvre. The abolition of the Great Prayer Day holiday in Denmark in 2023 was met with fierce opposition. In France itself, the 2005 attempt to turn Whit Monday into a working "solidarity day" to fund care for the elderly faced similar resistance. "The non-remuneration of work is illegal," declared the Confédération Générale du Travail trade union. "It is not for employees to pay for the negligence and disengagement of the government."

12There is, after all, the principle of the thing. As law-abiding, hard-working citizens, we are entitled to days of rest and relaxation. It's part of that nebulous contract we all signed with the invisible HR department. Budget deficit or not, any attempt to shift deeply embedded perceptions of work and play — and rights and responsibilities — was not going to be easy.

📋

Lesson Overview

About This Lesson

This article discusses the economic costs of days off and whether it is beneficial for state budgets to reduce them. It looks at examples from France, Denmark, the US and the UK, and explores research on rest and productivity.

Business Topic: Productivity, work culture in different countries, workers' rights
Business Language: Reducing clauses with -ing
Activities: Key words · Understanding the text · Business language · Discussion · Writing a description
Groups: Whole class, pairs, small groups, one-to-one

👈 The article is always visible on the left. Use the tabs above to navigate each section. Select text in the article and choose a highlight colour to mark it.

Warmer

Discuss the questions below. Give details.

💬

1. How many paid days off a year do you have?

💬

2. How many of these days are your annual leave and how many are public holidays?

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3. Why are public holidays important?

Reading for Gist

Read the article quickly and choose the statement that best summarises the main idea.

Which statement best summarises the article?

1.France needs more money in their budget for 2026 and is trying different solutions.

2.Many countries reduce public holidays to improve budgets, but it isn't a good idea.

3.Paid days off cost too much money for the government to be able to afford.

Answer: 2 – The article argues that while cutting holidays seems like a quick financial fix, the economic benefits are minimal and the negative effects on rest and productivity make it a poor policy.

Key Words

Find these words in the article and try to guess their meaning. Then match them to the definitions and complete the example sentences.

gee-upenablecutbacksembedded conduciveenticinglyfederalbounceback nebulouslaw-abidingmanoeuvremeasly lambastednegligiblepolicymakersoutput offsetproclaimingthe daily grindtrade union slip intoyawningwent down like a lead balloon

are the people in the government who design and introduce laws.

The new tax plan was criticised heavily by the themselves.

means harshly criticised someone in public.

The public the finance minister for ignoring rising unemployment.

If an idea or comment , it was received very badly.

Last year, there was a proposal to increase wages, but it with senior management.

refers to the amount of goods or services produced.

A rise in training budgets led to higher staff .

describes an extremely large difference in amounts.

There is a(n) difference between wages in the private and public sector.

To someone is to encourage or motivate them.

The management tried to the sales team with a promise of large bonuses.

means attractively, in a tempting way.

The HR department tried to use its new benefits packages to hire more specialists.

Something described as relates to the central government of a country.

The budget included funding for the national employment support programme.

means announcing something publicly.

The CEO will be the results of the new marketing strategy tomorrow.

10.

means reductions, especially in spending.

Large in training funds led to falling staff morale.

11.

If something is , it is so small it is not worth considering.

The savings from the cancelled coffee service were compared to the deficit.

12.

Something is seen as too small and inadequate.

Employees received only a(n) bonus at the end of the year.

13.

To means to balance one effect against another.

Rising health costs will any savings from reduced overtime.

14.

A(n) means a quick recovery after a decline.

After the slowdown during Covid-19 lockdowns, the job market saw a surprising .

15.

If something is to a result, it creates a good environment for that result.

Offering the option of working from home is to higher productivity and staff retention.

16.

means routine, everyday work and life that can feel tiring or repetitive.

Many new mothers say is harder when they have to take care of the kids and work.

17.

To means to make something possible.

Digital tools employees to work from home and save office costs.

18.

To means to gradually enter into a situation or state, often without noticing.

After months of low sales, sharp cuts began to the budget plans.

19.

To means to move or manipulate something carefully.

The project leader tried to around the reduced budget.

20.

A(n) is an organisation of workers focused on protecting their rights.

The teachers went on strike after the Ministry of Education announced the new budget.

21.

If someone is , they follow the rules and obey the law.

Most people are citizens who just want to live their life quietly.

22.

If something is , it is vague and not clearly defined.

The minister's promises on job security remained after the announced budget cuts.

23.

If something is , it is well fixed and difficult to remove.

With aging populations, high pension costs are in the system and hard to reform.

Answer Key:

Policymakers / policymakers
Lambasted / lambasted
went down like a lead balloon (×2)
Output / output
Yawning / yawning
gee-up / gee-up
Enticingly / enticingly
federal / federal
Proclaiming / proclaiming
Cutbacks / cutbacks
negligible / negligible
measly / measly
offset / offset
bounceback / bounceback
conducive / conducive
The daily grind / the daily grind
enable / enable
slip into / slip into
manoeuvre / manoeuvre
trade union / trade union
law-abiding / law-abiding
nebulous / nebulous
embedded / embedded

Understanding the Article

Read the article carefully. Then pick the correct option (a, b or c).

1.The French government tried but failed to reduce the number of public holidays because …

a.people protested.

b.they realised the financial benefits would be negligible.

c.they found other ways to cover the budget gaps.

2.The French Prime Minister suggested that …

a.people are lazy and don't work enough.

b.May has too many public holidays, which reduce the economic output.

c.multiple public holidays in May created the budget deficit.

3.Denmark and Slovakia …

a.removed some days of public holidays.

b.have huge budget deficits due to too many public holidays.

c.don't have enough workers.

4.The US President …

a.added extra public holidays free of work.

b.added extra public holidays but did not make them free of work.

c.removed public holiday days because they cost too much money.

5.The French Prime Minister's plan to cut holidays would cover the cost of …

a.the entire budget gap.

b.the entire 2026 budget.

c.around 10 per cent of the budget deficit.

6.England and Wales …

a.have more public holidays than Scotland.

b.have no public holidays.

c.do not have many public holidays.

7.English and Welsh governments discovered that …

a.public holidays do not greatly affect financial outputs in the long term.

b.public holidays negatively affect financial outputs in the long term.

c.public holidays have a very large positive effect on the GDP.

8.Days off may boost productivity because …

a.people spend more money when they have free time.

b.they support rest which has positive effects on productivity.

c.other people work during that time.

9.Longer holidays impact people's motivation levels …

a.negatively.

b.positively.

c.neither positively nor negatively because motivation is a personal trait.

10.The author thinks …

a.rest during holidays is the right of honest and hard-working people.

b.only people who work hard should get time off to rest.

c.we need to change how people view work and play time.

Answer Key:

a – people protested
b – May has too many public holidays, which reduce economic output
a – removed some days of public holidays
b – added extra public holidays but did not make them free of work
c – around 10 per cent of the budget deficit (4.2bn of 43.8bn euros)
c – do not have many public holidays (only 8)
a – public holidays do not greatly affect financial outputs in the long term
b – they support rest which has positive effects on productivity
b – positively (research shows rest makes workers more proactive and engaged)
a – rest during holidays is the right of honest and hard-working people

Business Language – -ing Forms

a. Compare the two versions

A1 (from the article)

In the US, President Donald Trump marked Juneteenth, a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery, by proclaiming on Truth Social …

A2 (longer version)

In the US, President Donald Trump marked Juneteenth, a new federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery, by proclaiming on Truth Social …

B1 (from the article)

Bayrou declared, comparing the month of May, dotted with four public holidays, to a Gruyère cheese full of holes.

B2 (longer version)

Bayrou declared, and he compared the month of May, dotted with four public holidays, to a Gruyère cheese full of holes.

b. Answer the questions

1.What do you notice about A1 vs A2? Which is shorter? How did the writer make it shorter? Which sounds more formal?

2.What do you notice about B1 vs B2? How does B1 reduce two clauses into one?

3.Why does the writer use the -ing form instead of the longer version?

1. A1 is shorter. The writer replaced the relative clause that commemorates with the -ing form commemorating. A1 sounds more formal/written.

2. B1 joins two separate clauses into one by using the -ing participle clause comparing, removing the subject pronoun and conjunction.

3. The -ing form makes sentences more concise and formal, typical of written English and journalism.

c. Transform the sentences using the -ing form

Reduce the relative clause or combine clauses using -ing without losing the meaning.

1.The CEO announced changes to the use of office space that encourage remote work.

2.She entered the meeting room, and she was carrying the necessary legal documents.

3.The company hired several new programmers who specialise in AI.

4.He explained the plan, and he highlighted its potential risks.

5.The report outlined a strategy that aims to reduce costs.

Model answers:

The CEO announced changes to the use of office space encouraging remote work.
She entered the meeting room, carrying the necessary legal documents.
The company hired several new programmers specialising in AI.
He explained the plan, highlighting its potential risks.
The report outlined a strategy aiming to reduce costs.

Discussion

Discuss these questions with a partner or in small groups.

⚖️

Do you agree with the last paragraph that honest, hard-working citizens deserve paid time off and rest?

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Do you agree with the author that it is hard to change the perception of how many holidays people deserve? Why might it be difficult?

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Do you think there are differences between how people in different countries view paid time off? The article mentions the US and France — what are some of the differences?

Working with Different Cultures

You work for a multinational company. Management needs to learn about cultural differences regarding paid time off. Read the text and fill in the table gaps. Then write a short description about your own country.

Not all countries are made equal when it comes to time off People from different cultures have different expectations about work dynamics, paid time off, and rest. In the United States, working long hours and responding quickly to emails and calls are often seen as signs of commitment. Most employees may feel pressure to stay connected even during vacations. In contrast, many European countries, especially in the EU, place a strong emphasis on work-life balance and workers' rights. Employees are legally entitled to disconnect outside working hours. In countries like France, Germany and Spain, it is illegal to expect staff to answer work calls or emails during their time off. Europeans also typically take their full paid leave each year. Some countries, like Poland, require employers to enable workers to have a minimum of a fortnight's holiday every year. By contrast, in the US, some companies discourage people from disappearing from work for long periods of time.

Fill in the table

Aspect	United States	Europe (EU)
Overall work culture	Often working hours and responding rapidly to emails / calls are valued.	Emphasis on and respecting personal time.
Responding outside work	Employees feel to stay connected during vacations.	Employees are entitled to not respond outside working hours.
Paid leave	People are from taking long holidays.	Employees take their paid leave each year.

Answers: (1) long · (2) work-life balance · (3) pressure · (4) legally · (5) discouraged · (6) full

Write about your country

Write a short description of the holiday and day-off culture in your country. Include: overall work culture, attitudes to responding outside work, and approach to paid leave.

💬 Useful Language

In [country], the employee is entitled to …

The employer is legally required to …

Usually, people do not …

You have to be mindful of …

In contrast to many other places, [country] …

Cutting public holidays to boost growth? Don’t bank on it