'TIS THE SEASON...
For celebrating
For lots of paid holiday time and PTO days added on to spend more time away from work and with loves ones
To relax more
For work to slow down a bit (for some)
To set goals for 2025
'TIS ALSO THE SEASON...
To lose your work routine which for some can mean a lot of idle time
For already grieving employees to grieve even deeper missing their loved ones at the holidays
Of insane loneliness
For heightened depression
For SAD (seasonal affective disorder) to set in
To be clear, I celebrate employers who are generous in their time off this time of year. And it is my hope that employees who are able to take that time and celebrate as they wish do it to their hearts desire. But not all hearts are mended enough to do that.
GRIEF and TIME OFF
It is also my hope that employers remain hypervigilant and check on their employees who they know might be dealing with grief, sadness and loneliness during this season. Here are few ways to do that:
Don't assume everyone taking time off is celebrating. Asking questions about what your employees are doing over the holidays is normal. Really listening and showing empathy to their response is key if their response is not celebratory. Not everyone looks forward to this season and not everyone wants to take time off right now.
If employees do not want to take time off that is OK too. While businesses are closed on certain holidays and that might not be negotiable, there are personal reasons why some folks might not put in for extra time off. For those grieving heavily and battling loneliness, their work schedule might be what is helping them get through the rough holidays. There is no need to ask why someone isn't putting in for extra time off and hopefully your business benefits from that as well as the employee who is happy to keep a somewhat normal work routine.
Have resources ready to communicate. Do you know your EAP provider and the phone number? Maybe keep that handy just in case one of your employee asks for it during this time. If the team is aware of what is happening with your employee, perhaps coordinating a group card, sending a food basket/flowers or making a donation on their behalf would let them know you really do understand this is an extra hard time for them.
Check and double check on certain employees. If you know your employee had a particularly rough year of losses, a serious medical diagnosis or fallout with family members post-election, it's time to keep an extra eye on them and ensure they are doing the best they can. Extra check-ins with them are a good idea too. If you need to bend the rules to allow someone some extra leeway right now, do it.
Tread lightly on performance issues. While I help many clients manage performance issues at work, this time of year can make it hard for some to stay focused. Make sure you are consulting with an HR expert who understands how to best navigate performance issues and has empathy towards the totality of each individual employee's circumstances before addressing performance issues.
Don't mandate fun. How dare someone not accept the invite to the holiday party? Nah - it's A-OK if someone does not attend. Do not make it mandatory and do not hound an employee if they decline the invite. Some of them just simply cannot muster the energy to attend these types of events, especially right now.
In the end, caring for your employee and assisting them in any way you can is the right thing to do and just good business practice. Have grace and empathy for your employees during this time and listen and be a resource for everyone. Staying on their regular work schedule as much as possible and not wanting or needing time off might be exactly what they need to make it through the next few months.
Such good advice and so often forgotten.