Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year, Festivus or nothing at all, late November through early January can be a joyful but hectic time of the year. There is so much to do and see and so much to plan and carry out.
On top of family, school, religious, and community events, it’s both the end of the quarter and the end of the year. For some businesses and occupations, these are the busiest few weeks on the calendar. For others, everything slows way down, which can be another source of anxiety.
Every ad, jingle, TV show, and Hallmark movie tells us we should be happy. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” after all. Sometimes not feeling what we’re supposed to be feeling adds an extra layer of stress. For some, the holidays increase feelings of grief and loss or loneliness.
According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, 89% of respondents say, “concerns such as not having enough money, missing loved ones and anticipating family conflict cause them stress at this time of year…” It’s hard to keep these anxieties from showing up in the workplace.
Whether the stress is yours, your employees’ or your customers’ and whether it is good, bad, or sad, this is the ideal time of year for leaders to practice flexibility, empathy, and self-care.
Here are some don’ts and dos to help your employees through this unique season.
Don’t
- Make any sudden or sweeping procedural changes. When stress is high, people aren’t at their best to learn and incorporate new processes. This may be a fine time to plan but leave the implementation for the new year.
- Introduce any new out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., parking pass increases, dress code updates, association membership fees, or certifications). Even if they will be reimbursed, finances are significantly tighter for many around this time of year.
- Evaluate your employees’ annual performance based solely on their year-end results. Even your very best people can be distracted at this time of year. On that note: if you tend to do all your performance reviews at the same time of year, consider avoiding December as the time to do them. That would be an added stressor for both the manager and the employee.
- Ignore employee concerns. If your employees are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take the time to listen to their concerns and offer support.
- Forget about your own well-being. Take care of yourself so that you can be there for your employees and so you can enjoy your holiday, too.
Do
- Understand that not everyone is feeling the same thing and keep that in mind while you make plans for the season. You don’t need to avoid a celebration but let people opt out if it doesn’t suit them. Fun isn’t fun if it’s forced.
- Accept that this might not be your most productive month. Customers, managers and staff are on vacation, either in actuality or in spirit. Accept this as a time of goodwill and cheer, instead of relentless accomplishments.
- Support work-life balance. Encourage your employees to take breaks and time off to relax and recharge. This will help them avoid burnout and stay productive.
- Offer flexible work arrangements. Consider offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or compressed workweeks, to help your employees manage their time and reduce stress.
- Take a moment to let your team know how much they are appreciated. It helps to use personality insights to understand the specific ways people prefer to receive compliments. Your socially oriented, expressive employees tend to respond best to public praise. They enjoy being the center of attention. The introverts on your team also want to be recognized for their efforts, but they prefer a lower key approach; an email, a mention in the newsletter, praise in the company communication system, or just a sincere, in person, “thank you” goes a long way to make them feel valued.
And finally,
Do accept our warmest gratitude and sincerest wishes for a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and Bright Shiny New Year from The Omnia Group.
