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The festive season is a wonderful time filled with fizz, parties, presents and family. However, it’s a very important time to remember to support all of your employees, especially with the current financial climate – some support goes a long way.
Whether it’s remaining inclusive with your festive activities, or offering an extra helping hand to those who may be spending time alone, your workplace should be a safe space for all.
Here is our guide on supporting your employees during the festive period…
Inclusive Activities
Christmas comes with fun festivities such as work nights out and Secret Santa presents – but it’s important to remember that some people within your workplace may need special adjustments or have a different lifestyle, that’s not to say you shouldn’t have fun as there are many ways to be inclusive while keeping a high rate of engagement during Christmas!
If you want to arrange an exciting Secret Santa, it could be worth setting a cheap price cap of around £5-10 would make it manageable for a wider range of employees, or, instead of Secret Santa, you could arrange a make-shift awards ceremony or another fun activity.
When it comes to parties, it could be beneficial to arrange activities that also fit those who don’t drink, or those who may have dietary requirements!
It’s also worth bearing in mind that perhaps not all of your employees will celebrate Christmas. The ‘one rule for all’ method needs to be shown the door as we head towards 2023. Instead of mandatory closures for all over Christmas week, why not give all your team the flexibility to take time off around other religious holidays if they’d prefer?
Manageable Workloads
Christmas is a notoriously busy period of the year, and with a lot of business comes a lot of work – and that can definitely dampen the Christmas mood if it’s not manageable.
Planning ahead is a key aspect of managing workloads during the festive period, as the majority of businesses will take around a week off and that time should be spent with family or enjoying yourself, instead of worrying about emails.
Ensuring that all work is planned and completed in time, and has been set in a steady manner will ensure that your employees don’t find the Christmas period overwhelming and can enjoy some festive fun!
Spread the Festive Spirit
Christmas can be a very tough time for some – especially those that have lost loved ones, don’t have any immediate support or just have never been fond of Christmas – that’s one of the many reasons why your workplace should be a safe and comfortable place for employees to express their concerns.
Arranging talks or support groups for your employees can be a great start, and also just allowing all employees to know that there is a support group available if they are struggling – whether that be emotionally or financially.
The festive period is a brilliant one, so making sure that all of your employees feel included and supported during Christmas is key.
Think about more inclusive activities, support groups and spreading the Christmas cheer as a whole!
Zest wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!