"Mondayisation" is a term used in New Zealand to refer to the practice of moving public holidays that fall on the weekend to the nearest weekday. The spelling of this word may seem unusual, however, it follows the conventions of English phonetics. The first syllable is pronounced as "mʌn" (with a short "u" sound), followed by "dei" (with a long "a" sound) and "i" (with a long "i" sound). The suffix "-ation" is pronounced as "eɪʃən". This phonetic transcription explains the spelling of "Mondayisation".
Mondayisation is a term that refers to the act or process of shifting or moving the observance of a public holiday from its original date to the following Monday or another agreed-upon day. This practice is commonly implemented when a public holiday falls on a weekend, allowing for an extended weekend for workers. The purpose of Mondayisation is to ensure that the benefits and significance of a holiday are not lost due to it falling on a non-working day.
Typically, when a public holiday such as New Year's Day, Christmas, or Easter falls on a Saturday or Sunday, Mondayisation allows for the holiday to be observed on the next available working day, usually Monday. This allows workers to have a consecutive day off, creating a three-day weekend and the opportunity for increased leisure time and rest.
Mondayisation is usually regulated by laws or regulations, and its implementation may vary from country to country. Some nations have specific legislation that automatically shifts the observance of public holidays to the subsequent Monday, while in others, it may be subject to negotiation between employers, employees, and government authorities.
Mondayisation seeks to strike a balance between maintaining the importance and meaning of public holidays while ensuring the workforce has a fair opportunity to enjoy and benefit from them. It acknowledges the significance of rest and leisure time for individuals' physical and mental well-being, promoting an improved work-life balance. Ultimately, Mondayisation aims to enhance overall productivity, work satisfaction, and the well-being of employees.
The word "Mondayisation" is derived from the word "Monday" and the suffix "-isation" (or "-ization" in American English), which is used to form nouns from verbs, indicating the action or process of the verb. In this case, "Mondayisation" refers to the process of making a Monday a public holiday, even if it falls on a different day originally.
The term gained prominence in New Zealand in 2013 when a law was passed to move some public holidays to a Monday when they fell on a Saturday or Sunday, allowing workers to have an extended weekend. The word was created to describe this specific process and has since been used in New Zealand to refer to that particular legislation.