What will you be doing over the holidays for your employees or like in my case, contractors?

November 30, 2012 by
Filed under: Employee Communications 

What will you be doing over the holidays for your employees or like in my case, contractors? Remember to be flexible on other people’s ideas for decorations around the office. If it doesn’t impact budget or make some horrible impression of the company, keep a positive perspective or you may disengage employees. If you want to make changes in the way to you celebrate the season at work, get employee input. Try not to make too many changes at once. For example, don’t decide to switch from a bonus check to a turkey, do away with the White Elephant gifts, and change a traditional venue all in one year! Lastly, be sure to communicate effectively in advance. What’s in advance? During the season, people are already stressed so try to plan communications to begin at least two weeks out. Follow up frequently and give employees room to accept the changes.

What else should you do?

Avoid the negative talk about the economy. Try stressing experiences verses money. What could you do as a team that would be so much fun nobody will even notice that it didn’t cost as much as last year.

Sincere compliments go a long way. What can you say now that you have not said enough throughout the year? Everyone on the team has contributed in some way, whether they led the way or influenced others. Oh, and most people like recognition in front of their peers and management.

Surprise! On a slow day, unless you are in retail, how hard would it be to surprise everyone with an extra couple of hours to leave the office early? Another idea is to have a Festive Siesta! Tell everyone that from 11-2 for one day they can’t do anything but eat and rest. Encourage then to share how the rest of their day was–New Ideas? More productive?

None of this takes a lot of work or planning. And one of my favorites? Find a non-profit to help with and engage the whole team!

I would love for you to share appropriate office activities in regard to the holidays! Please visit our Facebook company page (Managing Communications Consulting) and like us? Send us a post, and we will share your company’s celebration of the holidays.

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Comments

2 Comments on What will you be doing over the holidays for your employees or like in my case, contractors?

  1. Frances on Mon, 3rd Dec 2012 9:58 pm

    2. Great suggestions! I especially like cutting out all the negativity over the economy – Focusing on the positive is always a better way to look at life, especially during the holidays.

  2. never cold call again by frank rumbauskas on Fri, 7th Jun 2013 2:38 am

    3. I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.

    I do not know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous
    blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!