8 Simple Steps for Maintaining Employee Efficiency during the Holiday Season

This time of year is busy for us all: with last minute shopping, preparing for and entertaining house guests, and traveling to visit friends and family, the holiday season can take a toll on us all. With so much to do and such little time to do it in, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything else. As a result, work often gets put on the back-burner.With all the hustle and bustle, employees typically feel overwhelmed and can become easily burned out. These symptoms can lead to a significant decrease in performance and mental energy, as well as an increase in frustration, absenteeism and even turnover. With holiday distractions and employee stress being a major culprit of employee inefficiency during the holiday season, employers need to be creative to ensure company goals continue to be met.

But, how can you look out for the best interest of the company without taking away from the holly jolly spirit of the workplace? Below are some tips to get the most out of your employees this holiday season:

1. Tie bonuses to performance. Year end bonuses are a tradition in many organizations – an extra some employees have come to expect. But this year, why not consider making employees work for their year-end bonuses? When rewards are tied to job performance, employees are more likely to put forth the effort and produce quality results. On the contrary, when employees come to expect bonuses “just because” their performance is likely to remain marginal.
2. Set an example. You can’t expect employees to give 110% if your managers are distracted by last minute shopping and are using work time to make plans for the holidays.Managers are role models and have a strong impact on employee performance and productivity. Show your dedication and employees will likely follow.
3. Live and learn. Did productivity suffer last holiday season? Pinpoint what went wrong and develop strategies to ensure you don’t go down the same road this year. Maybe last year’s culprit was due to added pressure to meet year-end goals or a lack of flexibility in allowing employees to meet outside obligations. Whatever the reasons were for last year’s inefficiency, don’t let history repeat itself.
4. Host holiday activities. Help employees to un-wind, de-stress, and have a little fun this holiday season by hosting company parties or events. Doing so demonstrates the company’s appreciation for its workers and increases employee commitment to the company. Participation in company events also enables employees to let loose and think about something other than work and holiday to-do’s. If holiday activities are on your company’s agenda this year, consider scheduling them during normal business hours to avoid conflicting with an employee’s outside obligations.
5. Reward, reward, reward. Recognition can go along way in boosting motivation and morale. Simple forms of recognition such as praise, thank you notes, and the like show employees you appreciate their dedication and hard work. These forms of appreciation can drive employee productivity even during the typical holiday lag.
6. Give the gift of time. Allow employees to take a few hours one day to catch up on last minute shopping or other personal obligations. Employees will feel less stressed and when they return their spirits will be renewed. This simple perk can go a long way in fostering increased commitment and in demonstrating your support for your employees’ personal lives.
7. Set realistic expectations. Holding employees to unrealistically high standards this time of year is likely to only increase stress levels. Try to make an effort to schedule major projects once the holiday season has wound down. The last thing you want is a burnt-out staff, come the New Year!
8. Be flexible. Consider alternative work schedules to accommodate employees during this busy time of the year. For example, offer flextime opportunities such as a condensed workweek (i.e. four 10 hour days) or allow employees to choose their hours, as opposed to working the typical nine to five. This enables employees to complete their job responsibilities on their own terms and often results in increased performance. Employees taking advantage of flexible work schedules also tend to experience less stress because they are able to more easily meet their personal obligations.

This time of year is full of distractions. But before chalking it up to be the “status quo”, there are some minor adjustments that can be made to work schedules and management styles that will allow employees to remain productive amid the holiday rush. Let this holiday season by a happy and productive one!

Is it Time for FlexTime?

What employee program can you implement that has long-lasting benefits for both you and your employees and at the same time raises productivity and motivation, and reduces stress and absenteeism? You guessed right…it’s FLEX-TIME!

Flex-time is an alternative working arrangement which allows employees to set variable working hours in contrast to their traditional work schedule within reasonable boundaries. Flextime does not reduce the total number of hours worked by an employee in a given week; instead employees may choose to report to work earlier (or later) and leave work earlier (or later). For example, rather than working the typical 9:00 am to 5:00 pm work schedule, an employee utilizing flextime may work 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Employees that can benefit most from flex-time arrangements are those with outside priorities that compete with work demands. If managed effectively, flextime programs can retain a number of your valuable employees who would have otherwise had to quit or take time off to take care of a sick or elderly family member, attend their children’s school functions, drop off their children at daycare, or otherwise struggle to meet the requirements of their personal life.

Below are some valuable benefits of flex-time as well as some tips on how to effectively administer such a program:

1. Benefits to employees. With greater flexibility in scheduling their work, flex-time allows employees to take care of personal needs without interfering with project deadlines. With this type of arrangement, employees are able to more easily meet the conflicting demands of work and home. This balance has been shown to decrease tension and stress and increase overall job satisfaction.
2. Benefits to employers. By offering flexible scheduling, employers reap the benefits of increased employee productivity, lower absenteeism, increased employee retention, and improved morale. Most of the time, flextime also helps to eradicate tardiness since it often puts less strain on employees’ hectic morning routine.
3. Benefits to small businesses. The benefits for small businesses are just as rewarding. By offering flexible work options, smaller companies can minimize the loss of valuable employees. It can be quite expensive to replace talented employees, so offering this cost-free benefit can provide employers with a huge competitive advantage.
4. Develop a policy. Before implementing a flex-time program, employers should create a policy that defines exactly which type of employees are eligible for flex-time, how flex-time requests are to be made, and that all requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The policy should emphasize that flex-time arrangements may not always be feasible and that if business demands require employees to report to work during regular business hours, than requests may be denied.

5. Flextime requests. A written request should be required for employees seeking to take advantage of flextime benefits. Requests should be submitted directly to supervisors for authorization and considered on a case-by-case basis. Supervisors should exercise discretion in modifying or denying flextime requests in order to coordinate the needs of the department.
6. Ensure coverage. Before implementing a flextime program, supervisors should review potential scheduling conflicts and ensure that ample coverage will be provided to meet department objectives. Employers coordinating flextime schedules should ensure all employees with flexible schedules are in attendance during “core” hours of operation (e.g., 10:00 am – 2:00 pm).
7. Consider the drawbacks. The lack of continuity that results from a flexible work week can be a disadvantage. It can become problematic for employers to coordinate people, tasks and productivity with employees’ staggered schedules. Remember to always consider business needs when granting flex-time.

By appropriately balancing the demands of the company with those of your employees, not only will company morale improve, but this approach will increase employee retention and be a large attracting force for new talent. Employees appreciate working for a company that enables them to meet the demands of their personal lives and demonstrates concern for their overall wellness.