How can a multi-billion dollar company afford to let employees enjoy the holidays? /s

Especially because the period between Christmas and new years is the absolute lowest point of productivity. Giving everyone the holiday probably saves the company money, since then employees have the benefit of returning after the 1st refreshed. Every job I've had to work that period, the 25th through the 31st is absolutely dead and unproductive, since lots of coworkers burned their pto to take it off anyway and any external vendor is extremely unresponsive.

Similar thing to anyone who deals with China, you just expect that nothing will get done over their new year celebrations and you build schedules appropriately. Salesforce could absolutely afford to do this, they already have a good example in house. Instead of doing something that would generate positive press, they've generated negative headlines and really pissed off the employees as slack twice (once now, and once again later this year around the holidays). What a classic short-sighted MBA brain move.

And don’t forget other benefits like salary.

Giving everyone in the company a benefit like some days off doesn't work out in practice?

I too love having my boss's boot on my neck because communism doesn't work!