How to Improve Employee Engagement During the Holidays

December is here! It’s the season of holidays and holiday bustle, never-ending cookie swaps, work deadlines and budget meetings, social and family commitments, sneezes, flus, and, often, stress. Add the random office decoration or ugly sweater competition, and your employees might feel more stress than connection.

We’re not trying to Grinch our way through the season, but we do know what a financial, physical, and emotional strain the end of the year can be for many. So, to keep your employees’ spirits up, we thought we’d jump on the holiday bandwagon and bring you a little musical, engagement fun. What do your employees really want this holiday?

12 Gifts for Employees from HR and Organization Leaders to Improve Engagement During the Holidays

Start humming, On the First Day of the Holidays HR Gave to Me …

One Comfortable Workspace:

A comfortable workspace with ergonomic chairs, good lighting, and appropriate temperature can increase productivity, reduce stress, and promote physical health. You don’t need your employees stooped over their desks begging for heat like Bob Cratchit.

Two Gratitude Shout-Outs:

Cultivate gratitude. Have leaders and co-workers publicly thank team members who go above and beyond. This shouldn’t be just around the holidays but all year long. Take time to thank employees at the holiday party, during meetings, on the company website, and more. Make gratitude part of your organization’s values. Giving thanks will make you a better leader.

Three Volunteer Opportunities:

Being a giving organization can help improve employee morale. Provide employees with meaningful opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community. Start a food, toy, feminine hygiene kit, or clothing drive. Adopt a mile, and spend a day cleaning up with your teams. Start a knitting club that, at the end of the year, donates hats to the neo-natal unit at the public hospital. Create and maintain a Little Free Library. Get your employees’ families involved and make giving back an organization value.

Four Flexible Work Schedules:

Holidays, whether you celebrate or not, are hectic. Implementing flex schedules for employees to choose from can help alleviate some of the madness. It could include half-day Fridays or Mondays for extended weekends, flexplace (allowing employees to work from home), alternative work schedules, and customized flextime. There are more options, it’s just up to your organization leaders and HR to determine which ones are the best to provide, depending on your organization’s unique needs.

Five O'Clock Leave Time:

As part of your flextime, when possible, give your employees an early leave time. Afternoon and evening traffic makes the commute home longer and more exhausting. Encourage early arrive-early leave so people can get home to rest and be with family.

Six Meeting-Free Days:

December is filled with deadlines, budget meetings,year-end projects, and planning for the upcoming year. Many organizations close their doors for a few days, if not longer, during the holidays. So, STOP THE MEETINGS. Provide your employees with six meeting-free days so they can dig in and focus on deep work and get their work done.

Seven Healthy Breaks:

The tension can be palpable. Provide employees with fun, low-cost healthy break options. Invite a manicurist in to provide on-site manicures and/or pedicures. Host a yoga-lunch break with a local yoga studio. (And negotiate discounted yoga classes for your teams). Schedule a weekend snow-shoeing expedition for employees and their families. Set up a wrapping station with all the goodies for employees to take a break and organize their gifts. Bring life to work so your employees can decompress.

Eight Personalized Thank You Notes:

Instead of sending a text or email, have your leaders write personalized thank you notes to their teams. (Whether there are two or twenty people on each team). Teach them how to write a good thank you. It should be specific and heartfelt.

“It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.” - Brene´ Brown

Nine Ways to Reduce Micromanagement:

Set clear goals. Trust your team. Encourage decision-making. Focus on the results. Provide the right tools and resources. Limit check-ins. Offer coaching (not control). Promote accountability. Celebrate initiative.

Ten Quiet Minutes after Break:

Sometimes your employees just need time to breathe. Provide a ten-minute quiet time. No phone calls, no emails, just everyone getting back to their desks to work. It’s remarkable how this can recharge and refocus your team.

Eleven O’Clock Brunch Celebrations:

If time and budget are limited, invite your employees to a beautiful in-house brunch. This can provide a much-needed celebratory break. Bring in caterers. Light candles. And keep it simple and meaningful. Though holiday parties are the rage, many employees struggle to find babysitters, organize transportation, and simply don’t have the time to assist. Be mindful of the different religious and non-religious celebrations and host a beautiful end-of-the-year brunch to celebrate.

Twelve Months of Growth-Focused Development Plans:

Give your employees the space and guidance to create individualized development plans for the next year. Get them excited about learning, cross-department shadowing opportunities, going to workshops, presenting at workshops, attending conferences, continuing their education. Growth is a beautiful gift!

‘Tis the Season. At CustomInsight we wish your organization and employees a happy holiday filled with health, light, growth, and success.

Resources for People Struggling with Loneliness and Depression at the Holidays

It's not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed and lonely during the holidays. Talking about mental health matters. Post information about mental health awareness and help lines on your website, office brochures, and share them in an email.

Warmlines:

Warmlines are phone numbers that provide a listening ear for those who need someone to talk to or simply want support, whether they’re facing a crisis or just need to connect. These lines are staffed by individuals with lived experience, offering help without the need for travel, program enrollment, or attending a support group.

Suicide Crisis Lifeline:

These lines are open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Just call or text 9-8-8 to connect with someone who is ready to help.