Christmas is nearly here!!!
Are you excited? We are at vivoHR!
But … we also know that running a business during the holiday season can be stressful and really suck the joy out of the festivities. Bah humbug!
So, we thought we would be good Christmas elves and share some of our HR wisdom on how to manage the Christmas period a little better and create a happy environment for your teams and for you.
Employee Leave and Workload
The first thing to remember is that the festive season is an opportunity for many people to spend time with loved ones. Colleagues who don’t celebrate Christmas may still want time to relax with their family and friends and it’s important that this is respected. But, with everyone wanting the same time off, tensions can be high when it comes to annual leave and distributing the workload.
Be fair and be honest
Unfortunately, sometimes the hard conversation needs to happen. ‘First come, first served’ is the most common way to managing time off.
BUT … if the same person is booking off, say, the days between Christmas and New Year every year, meaning other team members are unable to have that time off, this becomes unfair and will create resentment. Find out who had the time off last year. This year it can be someone else’s turn!
At this time of year it’s not unusual for people to travel to see family, or to get away from it all so what if a member of staff says they’ve already booked and paid for something before the time off was approved?. With clearly written policies which state that bookings should not be made until the request for time off has been approved, this can be avoided.
Lots of businesses are at their busiest in the lead-up to Christmas. As everyone is pushed to their limit, burnout can become a real risk. We should never want staff to feel over-worked, over-stressed or reach a point of exhaustion or illness, and we especially don’t want to put a dampener on their Christmas!
Here are some key ways to support your staff during this busy period:
- Consider offering flexible hours where possible
- Communicate leave policies clearly
- Delegate tasks fairly
- Emphasise that employee wellbeing is as important as getting the job done
Encourage your team to switch off when they are not working. Make it clear that you don’t expect your team to stay in work mode, because you won’t be!
Be sensitive – there are various private reasons why colleagues might find Christmas a difficult time of year. Take a few minutes to remind your team of any wellbeing initiatives or employee assistance programmes that are available to them.
Preparing for Customer Demand
Aside from caring for your staff during this busy season, you also need to be prepared for increased customer demand in other ways. This might include:
- Extended hours
- Customer communication
- Stock management
It’s a sensible idea to create contingency plans. What happens if key staff members are sick? Or if there are problems caused by bad weather ? Taking some time to create a back-up plan will make any emergencies a little less stressful and hopefully resolve any issues a lot quicker!
Legal Considerations
Is your business one that has to operate over Christmas and the New Year?
If you require staff to work on Bank Holidays then that’s ok, they will just have that day to use as annual leave at another time in the year, but you should consider sharing the workload over the year so it’s not aways that same team members that have to work.
Overtime and overtime payment rates during the Christmas period (or any other time of year) should be agreed in advance with both the employee and their manager. Incentivising staff with overtime pay rates can be helpful, but you also aren’t obliged to pay more unless it is written into the contract. Many employers do choose to offer time-and-a-half or double pay to those working over the public holidays around the festive season, as a way to acknowledge that they are grateful to their staff.
You need to be aware of the different rules for how long employees can work. If you are staying open later or opening on more days, make sure your team members aren’t exceeding their average weekly 48-hour limit. That’s unlikely if these additional hours are only over a short period – as it’s worked out over a 17 week average – but, if it was to occur, employees would have to ‘opt out’ of this in a written agreement with their employer. Also, if you are hiring seasonal staff under the age of 18 or who are students, make sure you understand how many hours they are permitted to work each week.
Festivity vs Professionalism
To foster an inclusive and respectful workplace, it’s essential to balance festivity with professionalism during celebrations. Set clear guidelines for things like Christmas Jumper Day and ‘Secret Santa’. Ensure there are reasonable and fair budgets, and make it clear that no one will end up on the naughty list if they don’t want to join in! A gentle reminder about the appropriateness of any gifts can be a good idea though … !
Be mindful that not everyone celebrates Christmas. No one says that you can’t celebrate Christmas but maybe also frame the season as a time to celebrate the year’s achievements, look ahead to 2025, and strengthen team connections, without imposing specific traditions or beliefs. Consider how your workplace recognises other religious or cultural celebrations throughout the year, reflecting respect for all colleagues, suppliers and customers.
The biggest challenge when it comes to festivity vs. professionalism is … of course …
The Christmas Party
Ah … the time when HR professionals all over the land gather their very best comedy stories with which to regale their colleagues! And as a business owner or senior manager, the work Christmas party may well feel like a dual-edged sword. It’s of course great for employees to enjoy themselves, but managing your team in this environment can be tricky. It’s essential to approach it with thoughtful planning.
Start by setting clear expectations — remind everyone that, while it is a festive and fun occasion, the party is still an extension of the workplace, so professional behaviour remains key. Ensure the event is inclusive and voluntary, considering accessibility needs, dietary requirements, and making all employees feel welcome. Communicate guidelines around dress codes and responsible alcohol use, and reinforce boundaries to prevent issues like misconduct, bullying or harassment. This will be particularly relevant this year with the new law around preventing sexual harassment having come into effect in October. A risk assessment could actually help identify potential challenges, allowing you to mitigate them in advance. Nothing spells out a fun Christmas party more than a risk assessment, eh?!
Finish the Year Strong
As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your business’s successes and share these achievements with your team.
- Hold positive year-end reviews to acknowledge your employees’ hard work
- Collaborate on setting exciting goals for the year ahead–encourage input from your team and align on a shared vision for the future
- Take the opportunity to thank your employees and show your gratitude for their contributions – you might consider giving a bonus or some small gifts?
Ending the year on a strong and appreciative note sets the stage for continued success and motivation in the new year so that everyone can go home feeling valued and supported at work.
vivoHR wishes all of our clients a happy and relaxing holiday season. For support with all of your festive HR needs, contact us on 01252 757359 or drop us an email at [email protected].