It’s not always easy to keep your employees engaged during the holiday season. Like you, they have a lot on their minds. Whether they’re thinking about family coming in for Thanksgiving, trying to figure out who is going to take care of their kids while they’re off from school, or ruminating over the dozens of gifts they still have to purchase, they are being pulled in a million different directions. To top it off, there could be a lot of stress in meeting year-end goals at work.
So what can you do to ensure that your employees don’t lose their focus during the holidays? You can start by letting them know how much you value them. Recognize their hard work and dedication these 5 ways as you head into the holiday season.
Make Your Employees Aware of Year-End Goals as Early as Possible
Many employees save their vacation for the holiday season, so keep a close eye on year-end goals as you head into the last quarter of the year. Employees shouldn’t be scrambling to get work done heading into the last couple of weeks of the year. Instead, take the time to ensure that managers meet with their direct reports and clearly express expectations before everyone heads out.
If your employees understand expectations ahead of time, they won’t feel as stressed during the end of the year. Most appreciate advance warning and transparency. Plus, you won’t have to deny as many holiday requests for time off if everyone has taken care of work.
Offer Your Employees Flexible Work Options
Let’s face it: everyone’s schedule is disrupted during the holidays, which can make it tough to balance work with responsibilities at home. Consequently, your employees will be grateful if you provide them with the opportunity to work a flex schedule or telecommute for a couple of days during the holidays.
Also, not everyone can take a vacation at the same time during the holidays. Offering these options to those individuals who aren’t off can help ensure that they feel appreciated.
Promote Activities That Bring Your Staff Together
Planning holiday parties and other group activities is a great way to build camaraderie among your employees and also make them feel valued. By asking them to work together to plan the annual company holiday party, they’ll not only have the opportunity to work with and get to know their co-workers better, they’ll also appreciate how much faith you have in them for handling such an important responsibility.
In addition, the holiday season is a time of giving, so promote group activities that are geared toward volunteering, such as helping out at a soup kitchen or donating and delivering turkeys to local families in need. And reward those employees who participate by allowing them to work from home for a day or granting them an extra day off.
Embrace the Festive Season
Promote a work environment that embraces the diversity of the holiday season. Yes, there’s still a lot of work to get done before the end of the year, but most employees will be motivated to get things done if they’re not working in a sterile environment. If you try to ignore the holiday season, your employees are likely to resent you. So spread a little holiday cheer by decorating the office, offering employees the chance to participate in Secret Santa, and sharing all the goodies and treats your vendors have given you.
Hand Out Year-End Awards
As the year comes to an end, hand out awards to your top performers. Recognizing them at your annual holiday lunch or party gives their co-workers the opportunity to praise them and offer congratulations. But don’t limit recognition to these year-end events; acknowledge those employees who go above and beyond throughout the year during all-staff get-togethers and team-building events.
Photo by Davide Cantelli on Unsplash
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