Compassion in Action: Supporting Employees During the Holiday Seasons

Good day Curious Innovators,

It's another week to feed our curiosity and challenge our perspectives on leadership and the future of work.

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Weekly Dose of Innovation Insights

Today, we're looking at how the holiday season impacts your employees, especially those who need mental health support.

As an employer, it’s easy to get caught up in year-end goals. But your team functions best when you make space for their personal needs. Encourage your managers to wrap up critical projects to alleviate end-of-year crunches.

This season, encourage your managers to model self-care and work-life boundaries for their teams. When leaders set the tone, it gives others permission to also prioritize mental health without guilt or shame. Heading into 2024, encourage middle managers to shift your organizational habits to be more sustainable.

The holidays aren’t filled with cheer for everyone. Employees separated by distance or loss especially feel it. Employees dealing with health issues or are caretakers can feel disconnected from holiday festivities. Create trusted spaces for employees sure those struggling feel supported in taking the time they need.

Here's the latest:

9 Ways Companies Can Help Employees De-Stress During The Holiday

Your employes are your greatest assets. How are you supporting them? Forbes outlines strategies for employers to support worker well-being during the stressful holiday season.

Five Self-Care Tips For A Busy Holiday Season - LinkedIn offers a comprehensive guide on how you can create a healthy workplace environment and support your employees' self-care during the holidays.

Supporting Grieving Employees During the Holidays - SHRM discusses the importance of employer support for employees dealing with grief during the holiday season.

Supporting Employees During Ramadan 2023 - Many employees observing Ramadan will engage in prayers throughout the day. You can support them by providing a dedicated multi-faith area for prayer, contemplation, and meditation, or identifying a suitable space that can be used temporarily for prayer without interruption.

How Employers Can Create a Healthier Workforce in 2023 - Mental Health First Aid offers guidance on creating a supportive and healthy work environment, including during the holiday season. Make a commitment to provide Mental Health First Aid training to employees.

Thought-Provoking Questions for Today's Innovators

Challenge #1: Holiday Season and Employee Well-being

Review your company's current policies and practices. How can they be adjusted to better support employee well-being during the holiday season? Are there flexible working arrangements or mental health resources you can offer?

Challenge #2: Support Work-Life Balance During Holidays

The holiday season brings unique challenges and opportunities for businesses and employees, from managing seasonal hiring to addressing loneliness and ensuring a healthy work-life balance. Reflect on your business operations during the holidays. How can you maintain efficiency while respecting the holiday spirit?

Key Takeaway: The holiday season can be a stressful time for many employees. As an employer, you can provide support and creating a healthy work environment. In a compassionate workplace, recognizing and respecting the diverse cultural and religious practices of employees during significant times like Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas is crucial. This approach not only honors the individuality of staff but also builds a work environment rooted in empathy, understanding, and mutual respect.

Action Steps

Stop Glorifying Overwork: Promote periods where employees can fully disconnect from work, especially during evenings and holidays. Ban after-hour emails. Discourage employes from bringing work home.

Freeze Arbritary Meetings For The Holidays: Designate days during the holiday seasons as meeting-free, allowing employees to focus on work without interruptions or to take time for personal needs.

Looking forward to sparking more curiosity next week,

Marie Roker-Jones