What Will Get Your Employees Through the Holidays?

As the holiday season arrives literally in a couple of weeks, many employers nationwide are likely faced with the task of getting their employees through the bump and grind of the holidays.

No matter what the reason for celebration, many employees find themselves getting sidetracked with the holiday rush, therefore leading them and their employers to see a decrease in the company’s return on investment (ROI).

So, how should your company assist employees over the next month or two to make sure the company’s work is getting done, yet your staff is still having fun doing it?

Among the things to consider are:

• Note the achievements – Too often, employers get caught up in the ROI numbers and forget who assisted them in getting there. Make sure you recognize the efforts of your staff, from the top employee all the way down to those interns who contributed to make it a profitable 2011. While that doesn’t automatically mean handing out large bonuses, etc. you should take some time to let your employees know what they mean to the entire operation;
• Don’t negate the holidays – While you’re certainly not obligated to have a holiday party and such festivities, doing so allows the team to come together for a period of time and celebrate as one. Given that some employees may not celebrate the holidays, allow them the option of attending an office party or not so that they do not feel obligated;
• Don’t go overboard with political correctness – We all know that some individuals do not celebrate Christmas and that is fine. On the other hand, many of your employees more than likely do in some manner so don’t penalize them by making it an all-too politically correct event. Keep the politics out of the office this time of year for everyone involved;
• Project ahead to the New Year – Even though many companies have had a rough time in 2011, others have been able to see a good ROI. Whether your 2011 as an employer has been good or not, project forward to 2012. Let your employees know about some of the positive things you as a company have planned, if there are incentives for them to work for, how they can best help the business etc. A winning company is always looking down the road;
• Don’t turn into Scrooge and remind all of the bad times – We all know many businesses have hit hard times this year. While it is productive to learn from what went wrong and how it can be fixed in the coming year, don’t be a downer for the entire office. Many companies (except for retail) see slower numbers down the home stretch for a variety of reasons. If you’re expecting your employees to be doing double the work now, keep in mind that you need to set the example and be even more productive, throwing in a positive spirit to boot;
• Have fun reviewing 2011 – Any good company must look in the mirror from time to time and see what went right and what maybe did not. If you decide to use this time over the holidays to look back at this year, do it in a spirited way. Ask your employees for their input, but remember this is not to turn into a three-hour staff meeting. Maybe even add some contests, etc. to lighten the mood.

With the holiday spirit upon us, make it your business to have your company recognized your team’s efforts as you head into 2012.

Happy holidays!