Steps to help your employees reenergize and feel valued
The past few years have been tumultuous for workers, and employees are still reeling from the pandemic, economic uncertainty, global inflation, and increased cost of living. Combined with the blurred line between work and home life, employees are experiencing more stress than ever.
However, the upcoming holidays can provide a moment of reprieve for workers—and could be a strategic opportunity for companies to invest in organizational energy. A company’s energy comes from its employees, so if leaders want focused, engaged, and productive workers, they should invest in programs geared toward improved well-being, even when employees are at home or vacationing.
As the holidays approach, consider these six ways to maximize employee happiness and productivity during the holiday season and beyond.
Invest in Your Employees’ Self-Awareness and Self-Development
The holiday season is a great time for individuals to rest, reset, and reevaluate themselves and their personal goals. Many spend time thinking about the past year and looking forward to the next, perhaps setting new goals or making resolutions. That makes this an excellent time for employers to contribute as well as invest in their employees’ self-awareness and self-development.
Self-aware employees are better for the organization. Employers should not be afraid to invest in their employees’ knowledge and career development through assessments, coaching, or educational credits—even if those learnings don’t exactly match the employee’s current role. These opportunities will instead make employees feel seen, heard, and valued because they will recognize that the company wants them to learn and grow as individuals.
Share Good News with Your Team Before Vacations
The time leading up to a holiday or vacation is great for sharing good news with your employees. Whether that’s praise on a recent job well done or a big promotion, the good news will follow them through their vacation. Employees will return to work not only happy and rested, but also engaged and motivated for the projects ahead.
Ensure Employees Use Their Vacation Time
This can sometimes be a challenge for employers, especially during times of worker shortages. But it’s incredibly important to maintain productivity and energy levels. Smart leaders know the organization only runs smoothly on the energy it already has, and that energy comes from its employees. Managers should be challenging their team members to plan for vacation time throughout the year, not just during the holiday season. Asking when workers are taking their allotted time off allows that employee to save, plan, and look forward to a vacation, and for managers and teams to plan ahead for their absence. Another solution is mandatory company-wide closures during the holiday season. While ensuring every employee gets time off, this tactic also enables teams to prepare customers, vendors, and other stakeholders for the closure—who, in turn, might also benefit from the time away.
Pay Employees to Take Time Off
The main reason people don’t take vacations is financial. Perhaps they don’t have enough money to plan a trip, or even take time away from work. Organizations can and should address the economic side of vacation time and provide potential solutions for employees. For example, allow employees to exchange extra vacation time for cash. This is a win-win for both the employee and the company because the employee will then have the time and the money to vacation, and the organization will have reduced the liability of unspent vacation time on their books. Another potential solution is paying out bonuses early—many wait for their bonus before planning a trip or buying holiday gifts. The earlier the company can pay these, the sooner employees can plan. Finally, the organization could consider investing in holiday discounts to share with their employees or offer yearly travel stipends.
Set Boundaries and Respect Time Off
This challenge has become even more apparent with the increase in virtual and hybrid work. For many, the lines between their personal and professional lives have blurred. Respecting employees’ time off and setting those boundaries will allow team members to truly disconnect from their work. Challenge employees to turn off their devices and cease professional interactions, and provide systems to enable employees to disconnect. For example, delay email delivery and use out-of-office-settings, avoid calling or messaging them, and have them turn off Slack and other notifications. Keeping other team members or stakeholders informed about a particular employee’s absence will also help avoid any vacation-time contact. Leading up to the vacation, plan for temporary points of contact if needed, and inform those who need to know.
Celebrate Vacations and Allow for Post-Holiday Storytelling
Whenever an employee says they want to take time off, you should encourage them and share the update with your team and relevant stakeholders. Making it a big deal encourages other team members to take their much-deserved time off. And when those employees return, allow them to share what they did or learned during the vacation. This not only makes the time away from work more purposeful but allows for team bonding and improved organizational energy. It makes employee health and wellness a little bit more tangible for everyone.
The secret to improving employee energy and engagement? Focus on your employees’ well-being, especially around the holidays. The consequences of failing to take time off throughout the year not only increase the stress of the employee, their team, and the organization, but can affect their families, friends, and communities.
This year, challenge yourself and your team to follow these six ways to maximize employee happiness and productivity during the holidays and see just how energized everyone is upon their return in the new year.
