How to Boost Employee Engagement During and After the Holidays

How to Boost Employee Engagement During and After the Holidays

When the holiday season approaches it is natural for employee engagement to drop slightly…especially if there are little to no countermeasures in place within your business. According to studies, on average, only 32% of employees in the U.S. workforce are engaged daily. When it comes to employee engagement, Thanksgiving through to New Year’s Day can be extremely challenging for employees and business owners alike.

As the holiday season draws closer, there can be an increase in scheduling conflicts for employees with children on their school holidays. It is also a popular time to schedule annual leave, meaning the workload can increase for those who are still in the office. Just as employees plan in anticipation of the holiday season, customers do too, increasing the demand for specific products or services. Many employees find themselves working later to meet this demand, with little to no recognition from those in senior positions.

With employee engagement already at an all-time low, can your business afford this seasonal drop? Fortunately, there are accessible ways to boost employee engagement during and beyond the upcoming holiday season.

Let’s take a closer look. 

Communicate Year-End Goals and Increase Employee Recognition

It is recommended year-end goals are communicated clearly and ahead of time, when possible. No one appreciates playing the last minute expectation game. When business goals and associated expectations are expressed in advance, your employees are afforded sufficient time to consider potential scheduling conflicts associated with the busy holiday season. You might also consider reminding employees about your flexible working policy both in person and via a follow-up email detailing the full plan. This will allow enough time to consider both employee and business requirements concerning requests for flexible work during the holiday season.

Clear communication in this manner will ensure your employees feel valued, as well as reinforce positive working relationships during and after the holidays. If your business has made every effort to inform your workforce ahead of time, employees are more likely to be understanding of any last-minute, unforeseen issues during the holiday period and beyond.

One of the most important things to recognize during and after the holidays is the hard work of your employees. It is no secret that when employees feel valued, they are more likely to perform at their best and remain engaged in their work. When hard work is rewarded throughout the year, employee engagement will already be strong leading into the holiday period. It bears repeating employee recognition should be a year-long affair and not “just for the Holidays.” An employee engagement program is a fantastic way to achieve this goal.

With an employee engagement program, your business has an appropriate outlet to reward hard work. The best part is, the whole team can get involved as coworkers have a place to commend one another for achievements throughout the year. Being recognized by fellow employees is a sure-fire way to boost morale. This type of system is also a great way to promote individual or group achievements to the entire company.

The rewards provided by your employee engagement program could also be tailored to the holiday season. Consider providing the option for employee rewards to accumulate throughout the year and be “cashed out” in time for the holidays. This “cashed out” approach could involve donating to the employee’s favorite charity on behalf of the business or creative in-kind contributions. There are many creative ways to incorporate a corporate social relationship. 

Find Something Meaningful Employees Want To Be A Part Of

At Useful Views, we have previously discussed the many business benefits of corporate social responsibility (or CSR). Findings highlight companies with a focus on CSR within their business strategies were able to increase sales by up to 20%. The modern consumer favors brands that practice philanthropy and sustainability. But the push for corporate social responsibility does not end with the consumer. Employees, especially millennials, judge an organization based on how they positively or negatively impact local and global issues.

With millennials set to make up almost 75% of the American workforce by 2025, this is a trend that will only increase through 2020, and it certainly is not exclusive to the holiday season. From a Human Resource standpoint, a competitive philanthropy strategy can boost employee engagement by up to 7.5%, increase productivity by 13%, and reduce employee turn over by half. The same findings also show us employees are willing to accept a lower salary when working for more socially responsible organizations. What’s more, getting involved in social causes doesn’t have to break the bank.

The holiday season provides your business with more of an opportunity to engage in social impact activities within the local community. Plus, it is likely that employees would be more than happy to take part. Loneliness is a particular issue for many during the holidays, so instead of donating money that your business might not be able to afford, offer your time. Find out what community activities are taking place to help others combat holiday loneliness and ask your employees which ones mean the most to them. Organize a time for your employees to take part in their chosen activity during their working day. Making these opportunities more accessible to your workforce shows that leadership cares not just about the community, but also about the time their employees give to the business.

Research shows those who perform acts of kindness experience positive benefits. When we help others we build up a “kindness bank” of memories, which can bring us happiness long after the act itself. The memories and connections made during these interactions will provide your employees with a morale boost long after the holiday season. Consider a year-long community “kindness bank” to boost employee engagement during and after the holidays.  

Recognize the Holidays and Plan Inclusive Social Activities

It might be tempting to ignore the holidays in the hope of avoiding disruption in the workplace. However, this approach is more likely to produce resentment rather than boost employee engagement. Instead, recognize the holiday season is fast approaching and encourage a festive mood in the office. Play to the individual strengths within your team and encourage employees to plan festivities. You might also consider sponsoring the after-hours holiday party as a goodwill gesture.

Some employees might like to cook delicious food for everyone, while others may prefer to decorate or organize activities. While the holiday season may mean different things to different people, it helps to acknowledge employee diversity within the festivities, and respect the wishes of those who would prefer not to partake. But always extend a friendly invite. Taking all of this into account will ensure employees feel valued and boost morale.

Lastly, remember the holiday social (even if after work hours) could include community impact projects. A team of employees might prefer to donate their time to feed the homeless or spend time with the elderly, rather than attend an office party. Some might prefer to take part in both. Employees could also “cash-out” any rewards from the year-long employee engagement program to donate to a charity of their choice. If their acts of kindness are rewarded, their co-workers could be encouraged to follow suit. 

If you would like to know more about how Useful Views’ competitive philanthropy strategy could help to improve your business, let’s connect at www.usefulviews.com.