This blog is part of our Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice series offered this Fall.
With summer over, you may start to notice the office getting a bit more quiet. You may have been thinking you have lots of time before the end of the year, but you’ll find as the days get shorter, time flies by, and before you know it, the year will be up. And if your office is anything like mine, that means lots to do before the holidays.
But if you want to be on top of your year end, there’s a few things you can do to make sure the holiday season goes smoothly.
Make sure everyone has their vacation time booked well in advance. Many employees may want to take some extra time around the holidays, so make sure you have enough people to staff your office. Some offices actually close between Christmas and New Year’s, and that may be worth considering depending on your business.
Create a list of what needs to be done before January 1, and make sure you get a head start. Look back at your old emails, if you have them, to make sure you’re not missing anything.
Get your Christmas shopping done early! Go through and plan out any gifts you may want to send to clients, vendors or your employees. Our office often sends out cookie baskets and we recently got a call from the baker, asking if we would want to try and book early, and it struck me as a great idea. Booking these things early will make it easier for everyone.
Don’t forget that there’s a long break between holidays after Thanksgiving. Make sure you’re giving your employees something to celebrate, whether it’s letting them out early on a Friday, bringing in some baked treats, or just making sure they take their vacation days. Employee burnout can be a very real concern, so make sure your employees know their work and dedication is appreciated.
A pre-holiday lunch out can also be a great way to give back to your employees and to build a great team environment by encouraging them to socialize and talk about their lives outside the workplace. But be sure you book early. Many restaurants will be overloaded with these sort of outings. There’s nothing wrong with having it a good bit before the holidays, either.
No matter what you do, the holiday season and the end of the year is coming up, and will be here sooner than you think! A bit of planning and perhaps some time and money spent can ensure your workplace keeps humming along with happy and healthy employees.
Tom Hadley, or @tomfromhr, is a long time blogger and technology aficionado. When not working in downtown Toronto at a small law firm he can be found out in Oakville, likely walking an adorable dog or relaxing with whatever the newest nerdy Sci-Fi show is.
Hello,
Just reading your article this morning and feel the exact same way about employees and keeping spirits awake till the holidays.
I am the head of our social committee and run monthly events from treat days to bowling. One of my favorite is the the Holiday Lunch on a Friday!
Our CEO did something great last year and allowed ALL employees to leave after the lunch was over. We talked about productivity and felt that it would not be high so why not let everyone have a half day off to go shopping or spend quality time with loved ones.
It was a HIT, all the employees were so happy and talked about out for the weeks to come.
Small gestures go along way, it’s not always about the dollars $$