Top Five Tips to Manage Holiday Stress in Your Workplace

Learn how you can manage end-of-year workload hassle-free with the five most worked strategies to manage holiday stress and keep your employees satisfied.

Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Organize the Workload
2. Leverage Cross-Training
3. Encourage Teamwork
4. Maintain Effective Communication
5. Holiday Wellness Initiatives
Final Thoughts

Introduction

In this ever-evolving world of work, employees’ desire for a healthy work-life balance has never been stronger.

In a recent survey report by Randstad, it was revealed that more than 89% of job seekers believe that work-life balance is essential and they can balance over pay and benefits.

Therefore, as the holiday season approaches, the importance of work-life balance becomes more important as employees face end-of-year work deadlines and additional social functions.

Rather than feeling light and merry, employees are often weighed down by burnout and stress.

As per a global survey, 70% of employees are more stressed out during the holidays. This figure doesn’t bode well for performance during a crucial time of year for many organizations.

Hence this holiday season, HRTech Cube will help HR departments and organizational leaders create a safe and positive company culture by following a few tips that will mitigate employee stress and boost organizational resilience.

1. Organize the Workload

The holiday season can be quite demanding with professional and also personal responsibilities and employees are constantly battling for a chunk of their time. Therefore, maintaining the balance between the two requires a significant amount of planning; firstly, HR professionals must carefully plan days off so that employees can attend to their personal affairs without missing any deadlines. You can encourage employees to complete their tasks before the holiday season and also guide them and appreciate them, which will aid them in motivating them to function productively.

2. Leverage Cross-Training

As most of the employees want pretty much the same days off during holidays, some positions may be left uncovered for those few days. Therefore, departments tend to face employee crises. To eliminate these issues, HR professionals must take the initiative to implement cross-training programs that will aid employees in knowing how to address the tasks and responsibilities of their teammates in case of absence. However, before starting any program, make sure to prepare every employee early. With this method, they can feel comfortable talking about different tasks before things get hectic.

3. Encourage Teamwork

At the end of the year, employees often try to overload themselves with tasks; however, after taking up projects, employees end up with confusion and stress. Instead, focus on working together, discuss your troubles with trusted colleagues, and try to delegate tasks to all employees. Additionally, collaboration with other departments can also lead you to creative solutions and add a second narrative when stuck up. Therefore, being a part of a supportive team can make holiday stress more manageable, and the season can be more enjoyable.

4. Maintain Effective Communication

According to a recent survey by Deloitte, it was documented that 75% of Gen Z and Millennials report that their workload and poor work-life balance significantly contribute to their stress levels. This stress often leads to less or no communication, eventually creating issues between team members. HR professionals can consider opting for company-sponsored programs that provide employees with confidential credentials to professional counseling and aid for personal challenges, such as stress, mental health issues, and personal problems. These stressbuster techniques can contribute to a healthier work-life balance.

5. Holiday Wellness Initiatives

Lastly, implementing wellness initiatives such as virtual wellness challenges, mindfulness sessions, or providing resources on managing stress that are specially designed for the holiday season can promote employee well-being and contribute to a healthier and more resilient workforce. For instance, encourage your employees to do a guided meditation every Wednesday and talk about their experience later that day; this will help you understand the employee’s mindset and also provide them with a stress-free environment.

Final Thoughts

Ending the year on a positive note is quite essential for employee engagement and satisfaction. Therefore, companies that want to implement the above strategies can create a supportive and stress-free workplace during the holiday season. With these tips and tricks, HR professionals can easily strategize and reduce the constant issues related to employee burnout, focusing on fostering a positive work culture.

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