The holidays can be stressful enough. This year, your team is dealing with a pandemic, uncertainty and, for many, an unprecedented feeling of isolation from their friends, family, and team members. As leaders, navigating the next few weeks won’t just help make the season bright right now, but build a compassionate relationship everyone will value for years to come.
Even if we tend to think of December as a time where things are merry and bright, many experience anxiety throughout the month as the demands of social engagements, family time, financial strain, and other considerations weigh heavy on the mind. For a lot of companies, it’s a time that can see productivity dip. Just as important, it’s also a time where we see strained relationships in the workplace.
Heading into the holidays, it’s important to take a second to examine your role in company culture and look at ways you can help.
Compassion-Fatigue. Now isn’t the time to harden up. For months, leaders have been working hard to accommodate new and changing needs from their teams, including remote work, virtual meetings, access to childcare, and new degrees of flexible work schedules. The holidays aren’t the time to draw a new line in the sand. That compassion should start with yourself; schedule in specific breaks throughout the day and the week to check-out and do something you enjoy. The more fresh and energetic you are mentally, the more you’ll be able to support the people around you.
Ask Questions. We don’t realize just how important asking how our co-workers are doing can be. Reaching out to inquire about family, mental health, and their current needs – and actually caring about the answer – isn’t just giving compassion lip-service. This level of engagement may seem fleeting, but it’s the first way to identify those facing new challenges and needing your help.
Even if you don’t have a conversation with everyone, take the time to recognize changes in attitude, behavior, and productivity as clues to those under more stress.
- Are your normally stellar employees having trouble meeting timelines? Has the quality of work changed?
- Has communication become terse or even rude lately?
- Are departments still communicating effectively?
- Is there a healthy and inclusive amount of banter in-person or on remote work channels?
Give Thanks. The holidays can also give leaders a chance to start a conversation. When it comes to holiday gifts, crowdsource ideas about what your team might like. If you have a tight budget this year, keep it simple. Write a personal, heartfelt message to your team members, thanking them for specific accomplishments and the qualities they bring to the workplace each and every day. Share happy memories or office photos, and consider recognizing how long each team member has been with the company. A little gratitude can have a huge impact.
Finally, remember that as a leader, your attitude and your communication can have an outsized role in the morale of the company. You have the ability to make or break someone’s day, and when they leave your office feeling small, underappreciated, or unheard, expect that reaction to spread. It’s your responsibility to make the atmosphere positive, professional, and healthy for everyone, no matter what time of the year.