Consulting During the Holidays: Work Schedules, Travel, and Time Off

Consulting during the holidays looks different from the rest of the year, but it rarely means work stops entirely. While some consultants experience quieter weeks, others remain engaged due to client needs, project timelines, and global team coverage. In practice, consulting holidays work schedules fall between full downtime and normal delivery intensity. Understanding what it is like to be a consultant during the holidays helps you set realistic expectations about workload, time off, and flexibility. 

TL;DR – What You Need to Know

Consulting during the holidays involves slower client activity, adjusted schedules, and selective project continuity rather than a firmwide pause in consulting work.

• Consultant holiday schedules fluctuate around deadlines, with delivery pushes before holidays and lighter workloads during holiday weeks.
• Consultants receive formal time off, but consulting work during holidays depends on project needs and coordinated team coverage.
• Travel expectations usually decrease due to fewer client meetings, with remote work more common during holiday periods.
• Active client projects continue through holidays with reduced scope, smaller teams, and flexible working hours.

How consulting during the holidays actually works

Consulting during the holidays typically involves reduced client activity, fewer meetings, and slower decision cycles, while consultants remain responsible for maintaining active projects. The experience varies by client, project phase, geography, and role level, rather than following a universal firmwide pattern.

Client availability is the primary driver. Senior stakeholders often take extended leave, which delays approvals, workshops, and new initiatives. As a result, work shifts toward asynchronous tasks such as documentation, analysis refinement, and internal alignment.

Project phase also shapes expectations. Teams in early planning or diagnostic phases often slow down, while execution driven or time sensitive projects may continue with minimal change. This explains why some consultants experience lighter weeks while others remain fully engaged.

At the firm level, expectations are usually adjusted. Many firms lower utilization targets during major holidays and encourage teams to plan time off when delivery risk is low. Managers typically prioritize continuity and coverage rather than full capacity.

Common holiday patterns include:

• Fewer internal and client meetings
• Slower client feedback cycles
• Increased asynchronous work
• More flexible daily schedules

Even during slower periods, consultants are expected to remain reachable and protect project momentum.

Typical consultant holiday schedule and workload patterns

A typical consultant holiday schedule follows uneven workload patterns, with delivery intensity before holidays, reduced activity during holiday weeks, and a rapid restart afterward. Consulting holidays work schedules are shaped by deadlines, staffing plans, and client calendars rather than fixed shutdowns.

In the weeks before major holidays, teams often accelerate delivery. Consultants work to finalize analyses and close open items before stakeholders become unavailable, creating short bursts of intensity.

During holiday weeks, activity usually declines. Meeting volume drops, and consultants focus on background work such as documentation, planning, or internal reviews. Some teams experience reduced consulting workload or short periods of bench time, depending on staffing needs.

After holidays, work ramps up quickly. Clients restart initiatives, timelines compress, and teams regain full momentum, often within the first one to two weeks of January.

Typical patterns include:

• Pre-holiday delivery pushes
• Fewer meetings during holidays
• Staggered staffing coverage
• Fast workload rebound after holidays

These patterns are common across management consulting holidays, though the exact experience varies by project and client.

Do consultants work or get time off during holidays

Consultants generally receive formal holiday time off, but whether they fully disconnect depends on project requirements and client expectations. Consulting work during holidays often continues in a limited capacity for active projects, even when public holidays are officially recognized.

Most firms align holidays with local public calendars and offer paid time off. However, global teams and ongoing projects may require partial coverage, especially when deadlines or regulatory timelines are involved.

In practice, time off relies on coordination rather than entitlement. Consultants typically agree on availability in advance to ensure continuity without unnecessary disruption.

What this usually looks like:

• Public holidays are recognized, but responsiveness may still be expected
• PTO is encouraged during low client activity periods
• Teams stagger time off to maintain coverage
• Senior team members often remain available for escalation

Consultants do get time off, but it is planned deliberately and closely tied to project staffing over holidays.

Travel expectations for consultants during holiday periods

Consulting holiday travel is usually lower than at other times of the year due to reduced client activity and fewer in person meetings. Many clients avoid scheduling workshops or executive sessions during holiday weeks, which decreases routine weekly travel.

Travel does not stop entirely. Active projects with fixed milestones, regulatory obligations, or senior stakeholder commitments may still require on site presence.

Common holiday travel patterns include:

• Fewer Monday to Thursday travel cycles
• Increased remote work during holiday weeks
• Selective travel for critical meetings only

Because travel expectations vary by client and geography, consultants should confirm plans early rather than assume holidays automatically reduce travel.

Consulting during the holidays for active client projects

Consulting during the holidays often continues for consultants staffed on active client projects with ongoing deadlines. In these cases, work typically shifts into a maintenance mode rather than stopping entirely.

Teams usually narrow scope during this period. Effort focuses on essential deliverables, issue resolution, and continuity instead of launching new analyses or initiatives.

Active holiday projects commonly involve:

• Smaller teams maintaining momentum
• Reduced meeting cadence
• Flexible working hours rather than fixed schedules
• Clear prioritization of must deliver tasks

While intensity is usually lower than peak delivery phases, consultants on active projects should still expect accountability and responsiveness.

How management consulting firms handle holiday staffing

Management consulting firms plan holiday staffing in advance to balance delivery risk, fairness, and consultant well being. Staffing decisions are typically made months ahead to avoid last minute conflicts.

Common firm level practices include:

• Encouraging PTO during low risk windows
• Coordinating staggered leave across teams
• Maintaining minimum coverage for active projects
• Adjusting utilization expectations during holidays

Global teams add complexity, as different regions observe different holidays. In these cases, coverage is often rotated to ensure continuity without overburdening any one group.

Pros and challenges of being a consultant during holidays

Consulting during the holidays presents both benefits and trade offs, depending on project context and role. Many consultants experience lighter weeks, while others remain engaged due to client needs.

Common benefits include:

• Fewer meetings and interruptions
• Greater flexibility in daily schedules
• Reduced travel for many roles
• Opportunities for planning and reflection

Challenges include:

• Ambiguous availability expectations
• Difficulty fully disconnecting
• Uneven experiences across teams

Understanding these dynamics helps you evaluate whether holiday periods align with your personal priorities.

What consulting during the holidays means for work life balance

Consulting during the holidays can temporarily improve work life balance, but it does not fundamentally change the consulting lifestyle. The period highlights how balance depends more on project structure and communication than on the calendar itself.

Key factors that shape your experience include:

• Client expectations and deadlines
• Project phase and delivery risk
• Team coverage and staffing design
• Your role and seniority

Consultants who benefit most from holidays tend to set expectations early, coordinate coverage clearly, and use quieter periods intentionally for recovery. Over the long term, consulting during the holidays offers insight into flexibility within the role, but it is not a substitute for sustainable balance throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do consultants work during holidays?
A: Consultants may work during holidays when active projects or client deadlines require continuity, though workloads are often lighter and schedules more flexible than during peak delivery periods.

Q: What is it like to be a consultant during the holidays?
A: What it is like to be a consultant during the holidays depends on project status, but many experience fewer meetings, slower client feedback, and greater control over daily schedules.

Q: Do consultants get paid for holidays?
A: Consultants are typically paid for recognized public holidays under firm policies, although consulting holidays work schedules may still require limited availability for active projects or global teams.

Q: How do consulting firms handle holiday staffing?
A: Consulting firms handle holiday staffing by planning coverage in advance, staggering time off, and assigning minimal teams to manage project staffing over holidays without disrupting delivery.

Q: How do holidays affect consultant work life balance?
A: Holidays affect consultant work life balance by reducing meetings and travel, but outcomes depend on project demands, client expectations, and how clearly availability is communicated.