4 ways to motivate employees during the festive season

Celebrating the festive season can be an effective way to keep employees focused and engaged. But this period is one of the busiest times of the year for many employees, especially those working in retail. Because there is so much going on at this time, employee engagement and attention might suffer, especially in the busiest hours of the day. We all want to celebrate the festive season, but this can be a real challenge when you are in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

Also, even if the chores at work don’t increase in this period, employees might be more occupied, as they need to visit friends, find the perfect gifts for their families, and come up with ideas for Christmas dinner. Because of plenty of tasks and problems, people often feel unmotivated and burnt out during this period. However, there are some ways to keep staff motivated and boost their energy. Keep reading to find out more.

Focus on the year-end projects early

The holiday season always seems to come and go faster than usual, so managing your tasks better during this period is essential. Between attending children’s holiday musicals, going to work, shopping, wrapping gifts for the family and visiting friends, you will feel like you don’t have time to do everything you want. During winter, especially in December, employees might request more time off or ask for longer lunch breaks to complete their holiday to-buy lists. However, this can become quite frustrating for employers, as it can potentially hurt a company’s productivity.

While the solution is not to become Mr. Scrooge, you still need to find constructive ways to motivate your workers and keep them focused. One of the best ways to ensure you do this is to get the important work done before the busiest time of the year comes. October is a good month when you can start to make a list of all the crucial tasks and projects that need special attention. Then, you can create a timeline for when you would like this work to be finished and divide the assignments between your workers.

It will be good to stick with the list created and not add more tasks until the work is done. In this way, you will be able to keep the holiday spirit alive, increasing the productivity of your business.

Make work fun

You can also improve efficiency during the holiday season by making work more fun. A simple way to do this is to opt for gamification, a proven method to increase employee engagement. You surely want the year to end with all the work done so that you can finish the season strong and not bring extra work in the next year that comes. With the help of games, you can create a little friendly competition in the workplace that can motivate your workers while having a lot of fun.

A healthy competition can always inspire employees to work a little bit harder. Gamification is an easy way to brighten the mood in the office and keep employees engaged and motivated. Also, you can use games to ensure your employees still remember the safety rules that make them safe in the workplace. Reinforcing these rules is always a good idea as if an employee gets hurt at work, your company’s reputation might suffer, and you will also need to pay compensation to the injured worker.

Allow employees to celebrate

Decorating the entire office for Christmas is one of the best ways to keep employees cheerful. Employees who participate in adding the stringing lights and putting up the tree will always find it easier to get in the holiday spirit and lose some of the stress felt during this period. You can also plan a few special events to make the workplace feel a little more festive, including Secret Santa and hosting games. These activities will not only boost the well-being of employees, but they will also have a positive effect on their productivity.

Reward and relax

You will always motivate the employees in the festive season if you reward them with small holiday threats. Several enterprises give bonuses at this time of the year, as this idea brings many benefits. Around the holiday, everyone will spend extra cash, and everything will be well-received. Also, don’t underestimate the value of a simple gift, as it can make employees feel very appreciated. If you are looking for a present for your workers, consider customized gifts, as they are a great way to make employees feel cherished.

Also, this period is perfect for organizing a holiday party. Parties are the best environment for coworkers to bond and have fun with each other, which can improve work relationships and boost the company culture. You do not want to force employees to focus only on work, as it might make them resent the company and adopt a poor attitude toward completing the tasks, even though there is still plenty of work to be done.

If the work allows, it might be good to give your employees some extra days off, especially if the Christmas day is on the weekday. If you do so, your employees will appreciate the gesture, and you could do more good than you imagined at first. This happens because the employees will have more time to relax and return to the office recharged and more ready than ever to take on the new projects that the new year has brought.

Conclusion

Christmas is just around the corner, which for most people is a happy time as families finally reunite at the Christmas dinner. Still, for others, Christmas can be the most stressful period of the year, especially when their tasks at work increase day by day. However, many ways can help employees feel more motivated at this time of the year, including those presented above.