Inauguration: And Now, an Obama Break

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Keep 'Em at Their Desks

At Raytheon (RTN), executives are encouraging those not involved in "mission-critical work" to watch the inauguration on the offices' plasma-screen TVs. The company will also have a live news feed on its own Web site so people can watch at their desks.

"We can't afford any interruptions, but we do want people to take in the enormity of the situation and what it means for our country," says Charlene A. Wheeless, who heads communications for the division that sells intelligence and information systems. That's the group that is also broadcasting the inauguration live to American troops around the world, even to those serving in submarines or in caves in Afghanistan (they'll be able to see it on their hand-held devices).

Some companies aren't planning anything as elaborate as, say, Marriott but still are acknowledging the day. They know some employees don't just want to watch the proceedings; they want to watch together. Microsoft (MSFT), HBO (TWX), Astra Zeneca, among others, are providing the space and extra televisions so that they can. Some companies, too, might prefer that employees watch on TV rather than online since there's less chance of servers crashing that way.

Sharing Via the Web

In a way, Inauguration Day will be a social media experiment. CNN has joined with Facebook to encourage people to update their pages while watching the Inauguration. "I'm sure people will do that here," says Joanna Pineda, founder of Matrix Group International, a small company in Alexandria, Va., that designs Web sites for nonprofits and trade associations. "It will be a distraction, but it will also be a big social Web experience. It's research."

And then there are the companies, including Ernst & Young, Netflix (NFLX), and Ben & Jerry's (creator of the inauguration special, Yes Pecan) that say their workplace is already flexible enough to accommodate their employees' interest in the inauguration. "Whether it's inauguration or a school play or a doctor's appointment, people have the flexibility to participate, and we trust them to meet their deadlines," says Billie Williamson, a senior partner who heads up Ernst & Young's "inclusiveness" efforts.

Berfield is an associate editor at BusinessWeek .