Running a business during the holidays is one of the most challenging things you can do, especially if you have a lot of employees. In addition to keeping everything up and running without losing valuable productivity, you also have to manage a variety of employee needs.
Many employees plan to take time off during the holidays, and you want to be the kind of employer who prioritizes their workers’ ability to spend time with family and loved ones.
But it doesn’t help that the holidays coincide with cold and flu season, which means an increase in the amount of sick days, too.
Managing workplace stress during the holiday season is a big responsibility, but it’s not an impossible task. At Liberty Staffing Services, we have worked with countless businesses in Southern Ontario who know exactly how to lessen their employees’ stress and create a better holiday work experience.
Here are some of the best strategies we’ve seen our clients implement to create a happier, healthier holiday season in the workplace.
Need great team members to join you for the holidays? Liberty Staffing Services can help! Reach out to us to recruit new team members on board before the winter season is underway!
Plan Ahead
Don’t let the holiday season catch you off guard. Instead, start planning for it a couple of months in advance.
Encourage your employees to request time off early so that you can anticipate how many people will be taking time off and when. You will want to create a schedule for approving time off requests in a way that is balanced with your business needs.
Employees feel stressed when they don’t know if they’re going to get their time off approved, so be sure to be timely in responding to requests – especially if you ask for them to be submitted early.
Hire Temporary Workers
The holidays are a great time to increase your workforce by hiring temporary staff members. Temp workers are often individuals who want to make extra money during the holidays, which means they are open to working shifts that your permanent team members would like to avoid.
It’s also a great idea to have extra temporary staff on hand during the holidays because of the cold and flu season. Be sure to cross-train your temporary staff so that they can shift easily from one position to another in response to illnesses and other reasons for increased absences.
Set Reasonable Expectations
With careful planning, you should be able to maintain productivity during the holidays, but it’s also important to recognize that some tasks may take more time during this season than others. That’s okay!
Postpone less critical initiatives and projects until after the holidays to avoid adding additional stress on your workers.
If you will be approving a lot of time off, prepare your clients for the possibility of slower responses. You can reassure clients that you will get back to them, but there may be a slight slowdown over the holidays. This will take the pressure off your team without your clients feeling abandoned.
Foster a Supportive Environment
The holidays are a great time to create opportunities for team building with holiday lunches and special events.
Use this time to express your gratitude and appreciation for your staff. You can host secular and inclusive holiday parties to communicate that you are grateful for the hard work your team puts in – and how essential they are to your continued growth and success.
Encourage Self Care
Encourage your employees to take their breaks to maintain safety, mental health, and compliance with federal laws.
When possible, allow for remote work options or flexible schedules to meet your employees’ needs during this busy and stressful time of the year. You can even share stress-busting strategies with your employees to help them find new ways to de-stress.
Liberty Staffing Can Help Take Workplace Stress Out of the Holidays
Managing workplace stress during the holidays is achievable, especially for business owners in Southern Ontario who leverage staffing agencies like Liberty Staffing Services.
We supply businesses with pre-vetted, trained temporary workers over the holidays, which means we can help alleviate many of the stressful pressures that lead to burnout.
Temporary employees can cover vacation shifts, increased sick days from cold and flu season, and general workload spikes from holiday orders and requests. This allows business owners (like you) to focus less on logistics and more on optimizing operations.
With Liberty Staffing’s help securing holiday temps, companies can transform a stressful season into one filled with productivity and cheer! Making strategic use of all available resources leads to successful holiday outcomes for employers, permanent staff, and temporary workers alike. Contact Liberty Staffing today to get your holiday hiring sorted right away this season.
