Keeping employees stimulated and productive during holiday season can be complicated. The euphoria of holidays can cause the personnel feel distracted or lose interest. As can working while the colleagues take vacation days. Follow these tips to easily manage the team during any holiday season keeping them motivated and efficient:
● Compromise flexible working hours – During the holiday season it is advisable to implement a more flexible working hours because the holidays cause everyone’s schedules to be busy and occupied as they have personal events to attend too. Proposing personnel more flexible working hours so they can finish their holiday errands and leave early to go to children’s events and concerts will help to make sure employees stay concentrated while they’re at the office.
● Introduce a shutdown period or hire part-time employees – For some business the holidays are the most demanding and eventful time, which means that a full staff is needed in order so properly finish the work. Introducing a shutdown period would mean that during that period no one can take vacation days. Employees should be informed for this period from the beginning so that they aren’t blindsided come holiday season. If the shutdown period is not the right choice for you then another solution is to hire part time employees during the periods that most of the employees
● Virtual Office – In today’s world almost everyone has a laptop, iPad or smartphone that allows them to work from a virtual office by using project viewer on different platforms. If you are running a business that doesn’t require the employees to be in the office, allowing them to work from home throughout the holidays can be a useful way to get things done without having to bring in part-time employees. Working at home is a practical alternative only if the business affords itself to it and there’s a way to confirm the employees are really working.
● Forecast – In order to avoid the stress of not planning on time it is a good idea to plan ahead of the season. A team session, allowing everyone to be involved into what will be happening during the season gives people a degree of control over their time.
Most importantly, to ensure employees maximum productivity and boost morale it’s crucial the keep the working place creative and remind them that you appreciate them as an important asset of the company. That can be achieved by giving gifts, vouchers, free office food etc. And don’t forget- have accurate beliefs for the capacity that the personnel is estimated to carry during the holidays.