After a crazy long year, the holidays are here at last! Your team is probably brainstorming ways to enjoy it, especially as employee management slacks off around the holiday season.
Since the celebrations might not be the usual this time, it can be a bit tough for them, causing some stress and low spirits. This just adds to the usual holiday challenges like work stress, burnout, time-off clashes, and unexpected no-shows. As an HR manager, it’s key to tackle these problems and keep your team pumped up.
That’s why in this article, we’ll discuss 7 best practices for employee management during the holidays when the employees are likely to lose interest in company matters.
How Are Employees Affected During The Holidays?
The holiday season’s unique mix of distraction, anticipation, and pressure can have various effects on businesses, particularly in terms of employee management.
Positively, holidays can enhance creativity and motivation among the team. The festive excitement generates positive emotions that fuel innovation and creativity in the workplace. It brings energy, contributing to increased motivation among employees.
On the flip side, holidays can also bring about sadness. Beyond festivities, the season may include grieving families and nostalgia. Employee management becomes crucial as managers should approach their teams with compassion and empathy, recognizing the diverse emotions the holidays can evoke.
Additionally, holidays introduce distractions in the workplace. While celebrating with employees is enjoyable, maintaining focus and effective employee monitoring can be challenging.
Concluding the year with a significant project or milestone can be highly motivating from an employee management perspective. Planning the final quarter around a project that unites the team and enhances competitiveness can channel the holiday spirit into a positive and productive work environment.
So, navigating the holiday season in the workplace requires balancing positive energy, acknowledging emotional complexities, and strategically planning for effective employee management to keep the team engaged and motivated.
7 Best Employee Management Practices During The Holidays
1. Clearly outline expectations from your employees
Ensure your team is well-informed about what’s anticipated during the holiday season.
Whether it involves altering routines, adjusting schedules, or tweaking service offerings, articulate these priorities clearly, especially if there are shifts in your business’s focus.
Recognizing employees’ efforts during these transitions is equally important, and employee recognition software makes it easier to celebrate their contributions, keeping morale high during the holiday season.
When devising schedules, acknowledge that different segments of the holiday season carry varying degrees of significance for different individuals.
While December 25 might be your preferred time for family gatherings, others may value time off on the inaugural night of Hanukkah, during a family get-together a few days post-Christmas, or following New Year’s Eve revelries. Actively inquire about what holds the utmost importance for your employees during this period.
Once work and schedule expectations are established, it’s important to monitor and ensure that your employees are taking the designated time off they’ve earned.
Employee Monitoring Software can help track work patterns, but it’s crucial to deliberate effort to honor your employees’ time away from the office. Balancing professional demands with personal time is consistently challenging, especially during the holiday season, when respecting the time your employees have rightfully earned is more important than ever.
Encourage them to also be considerate of and respect the boundaries set by their colleagues.
2. Effectively Handle Employee Time Off
Alright, let’s talk about managing your team’s holiday time off smoothly. We get it; everyone wants a breather after the rollercoaster of a year we’ve had.
So, it’s crucial to handle these time-off requests with precision.
Imagine the disappointment of an employee thinking they’re all set for a break, only to have their request rejected. Not cool.
To avoid this, encourage your team to plan their time off well in advance. This helps avoid any scheduling clashes that could stress everyone out.
A weekly planner app can be an invaluable tool here, allowing employees to schedule their days off and managers to approve them efficiently, minimizing scheduling conflicts.
Moreover, an employee attendance system can further streamline the process by automatically tracking leave balances and attendance records.
Oh, and here’s a pro tip: when giving the green light to time off, loop in the team managers. They’re in the know about their team’s situations and needs.
Teamwork makes the dream work, right?
Now, if you find yourself in a situation where you have to say no to a time-off request, be kind about it.
Share the why behind the rejection and, if possible, brainstorm some alternative ways to give that employee a well-deserved break. Communication and kindness go a long way in making the holiday season smooth for everyone.
3. Encourage a Healthy Work-Life Blend
During the holiday season, prioritizing a healthy work-life blend is paramount for both individual well-being and overall team productivity.
Recognizing that this time can be particularly hectic, it’s essential to encourage your team members to embrace a balanced approach. Remind them to take advantage of time off, allowing for moments of relaxation and rejuvenation.
Fostering a culture that values and supports breaks helps create a positive and sustainable work environment. Encourage your employees to unplug when needed, emphasizing that taking care of their well-being ultimately contributes to their effectiveness at work.
For additional well-being support during this period, employers can offer access to professional nutrition counseling online to help employees sustain energy, manage holiday eating habits, and maintain healthy routines.
Whether it’s a day off to spend with loved ones or a few moments of quiet reflection, these breaks can be instrumental in recharging their energy and creativity.
By advocating for work-life balance during the holiday season, you not only prioritize the mental health of your team but also promote a workplace culture that values the holistic needs of its members.
This approach not only enhances employee morale but also contributes to a more resilient and engaged team overall.
4. Show Appreciation with Gifts
Engaging in employee management involves expressing gratitude for your team’s hard work.
Sharing gifts is a fantastic way to convey that appreciation and demonstrate your care for their contributions to the organization’s success. Recognition and gratitude play pivotal roles in boosting employee engagement and productivity.
For example, glass trophies can be a lasting and elegant way to recognize key achievements, especially for standout performers who deserve a more formal acknowledgment.
You could also consider gifting items that reflect your company’s personality or workspace aesthetic, such as Peacock Wall Art Canvas Prints, to create a sense of unity and shared identity.
The gifts don’t have to be extravagant.
For instance, if your employees are working remotely, consider sending virtual gift cards. Alternatively, for those in the office, holiday-themed gift baskets, wellness items like a fitness band, quirky stationery, cakes, cookies, and more are thoughtful options.
Enhance the personal touch by including handwritten notes, expressing thanks for their dedication throughout the year.
In cases where you have a sizable team, effective employee management involves implementing an employee recognition software or delegating this personalized touch to managers. They are better positioned to understand their employees’ progress and growth, ensuring that the appreciation feels genuine and tailored to each individual.
Remember, these gestures contribute not only to holiday cheer but also to fostering a positive work environment year-round.
5. Convey your employees’ recognition
Acknowledging your team’s efforts is directly linked to increased engagement, heightened discretionary work, and a lower likelihood of turnover, as highlighted by Zenger/Folkman research.
Consider making the holiday season special for your employees by offering a thoughtful gesture, such as a gift supporting a local business or a donation to their preferred charity. Take a moment to publicly acknowledge and appreciate their hard work.
A simple card or a genuine expression of thanks can go a long way. Trust me.
It doesn’t have to be a grandiose act; what matters most is showing that you care.
A QuickBooks survey conducted by The Harris Poll in 2022 revealed that 28% of employees consider even small tokens of appreciation, like gift cards, as an extremely valuable form of recognition.
So, whether big or small, expressing gratitude can have a significant impact on your team’s morale and satisfaction.
6. Maintain your team’s focus by setting somewhat challenging goals.
Ensuring that your team has ambitious yet achievable business goals is a great way to keep them motivated and on track. The idea is to aim high while still keeping the goals within reach, encouraging everyone to strive for their set objectives.
Communicate these goals in writing so that employees can easily reference the list as needed.
Emphasizing the importance of clear goals, Øyvind Birkenes, the CEO of Airthings, notes that during the holiday season, team members tend to be even more productive, working diligently to complete major projects undertaken throughout the year.
Øyvind Birkenes – CEO, Airthings
Adopting a coaching software approach, it’s essential to understand that your role is not just about giving directives. Instead, focus on putting your team in a position to succeed by providing support and sharing the workload, ensuring collective success.
7. Knowing your people is a must!
When it comes to holiday celebrations for your team, there are as many preferences as there are team members.
Whether you’re organizing a party, a gift exchange, or something else entirely, it’s important to recognize that not everyone is on board with the same festive vibes.
Take a moment to understand your team members individually and factor in their unique needs.
Your team might include introverts and extroverts, those who enjoy a good drink and those who prefer to stay sober, big spenders and budget-conscious folks, meat lovers and vegans, as well as those working on-site and those working remotely.
Use employee voice as a guiding principle to design holiday celebrations that reflect their preferences, ensuring inclusivity and fostering a sense of belonging within the team.
Tailor your holiday plans with each person in mind for a celebration that accommodates everyone. This is by far the best employee management practice!
Conclusion
Amidst the holiday hustle, juggling tasks, and the whirlwind of small business life, it’s a breeze to forget the real MVPs: your team. Remember, your employees are the backbone of your business, driving it toward success.
So, amid all the chaos, make sure to keep people at the core of your employee management approach for a merrier holiday season.
Use these suggestions to foster a positive and supportive atmosphere for your team throughout the holiday season.
Keep in mind, that looking out for your employees’ well-being is crucial not only during the festive period but throughout the entire year.
