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How to Engage Your Employees During the Holidays

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how to engage your employees

The holiday season brings with it so much joy, merriment, and goodwill. From gift-getting to gift-giving to spending extra time with loved ones to taking more time to relax, there are so many good things about the holidays. For so many, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

For businesses? Maybe not so much. Keeping employees fully engaged and committed during the holiday season can be challenging, to say the least. With heavier workloads due to coworkers taking time off, distracted employees, unpredictable customer demands, and increased pressure to meet year-end goals, keeping employees engaged towards the end of the year can seem nearly impossible. Truly, it’s no wonder productivity tends to start slumping in mid-November.

However, keeping your employees engaged during the holiday months is crucial for your bottom line and overall staff satisfaction. Here are a few tips to help keep your employees motivated and finish out the year strong.

 

1. Reward and recognize great work

Show your employees how much you value their hard work and dedication this holiday season. Writing them a thank-you note or going out of your way to offer words of appreciation and encouragement will help keep them motivated to continue delivering great work, even when it’s difficult to stay focused.

Though verbal recognition is powerful, putting a structured rewards-based employee engagement program in place year-round can also help extend engagement into the holiday season. Be sure to highlight employee accomplishments regularly and consistently reward stellar work.

 

2. Be festive

Make sure some of that holiday cheer makes it to the office. Add some holiday- or winter-themed decorations. Hold a small secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange. Have an ugly sweater contest. Host a company-wide Christmas bake-off. Don’t ignore the holidays in an attempt to minimize distraction – embrace them to avoid employee resentment and invite a more lighthearted, stress-free atmosphere. It’ll help make your employees happier, more motivated, and more productive.

 

3. Offer a flexible schedule 

During the holiday season, it can be difficult to fill schedules and make sure there are enough employees in the office every day. Offering your employees the extra personal time they need to visit family, plan for the holidays, and just take a break shows them that they are appreciated and gives them the chance to recharge. Your employees will likely be more productive before and after their time off. As for those employees that help fill in gaps while their coworkers are away on vacation, be sure to show gratitude and encourage other employees to do so as well.

 

4. Communicate year-end goals and holiday plans clearly

Whatever your goals and policies, make sure your employees are aware of them. Inform your employees of expectations early on. Reiterate your holiday scheduling guidelines. Be transparent about company-wide goals, progress, and needs. It’ll help your employees feel more valued and see how their role fits into the big picture. They’ll make better decisions and focus their work on contributing to those goals — just like you want them to!

 

5. Look Forward to the Future

Don’t wait until the new year starts to set goals — start setting new goals before the year ends. Encourage employees to get involved by suggesting areas that could be improved company-wide, and encourage them to set personal goals as well. Be specific and optimistic when looking forward to the future, and help employees see their individual roles and responsibilities in making the company’s vision a reality. It’ll help your employees get right back into the swing of things once they come back from taking time off.

 

6. Volunteer at a charity

Embrace what the holiday season is really about. As you give back to the community as a company, your employees will feel a sense of goodness and unity, sure to extend to the workplace. Whether you hold a toy/clothing drive, collect cans for a food drive, or volunteer at your local soup kitchen as a team, giving back is sure to boost morale collectively and individually. Plus, it’ll help put any struggles or stresses into proper perspective.

During these holiday months, think about your employees’ needs and capabilities. Help them feel that their work is meaningful, appreciated, and valued. As leaders, we have a responsibility to inspire our employees to action and productivity — understanding their needs is crucial to be able to do so. Your employees will be grateful for it, and it will show in their overall productivity and engagement!

Choose Corporate Awards: 4 Factors to Consider

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In both large and small businesses, recognizing employees for their achievements is crucial to the overall productivity of the business. In a CBS report, the shattering number of unhappy employees outweighs the number of satisfied employees.

Feeling neglected and useless in the workplace due to the lack of motivation and incentive to do a better job was at the core of why employees performed so low in this study.

We believe the best way to showcase your appreciation for your team is by recognizing their diligence! Below I have listed 4 factors to consider when deciding what type of corporate award to choose.

Generational Shifts

A more matured workforce has traditionally appreciated monetary compensation for their overachievement, however the younger workforce has been shown to appreciate a tangible “thank you” rather than money.

The act of providing recognition for retirement, years of service, or sales awards has been shown to be of greater value to the upcoming generation.

The current and upcoming generation of the workforce is one that values relationships and connections to others. That being said, a tangible award on a corporate level functions as an ideal motivator because it can show the employee what specifically they are being rewarded.

“Thank you for your outstanding sales in the 2018 year” is much more appreciated than a financial bonus because they “did well.”

Motivation

A study held by Anita Bowness, a global leader for Halogen Software, revealed how money can actually function as a “demotivator.”  Perspectives of money vary from person to person and unfortunately, cause more harm than good.

In one year, an employee might be rewarded a cash bonus for their hard work towards a project. However, in the next year, is the employee expected to receive the same amount of money or more?

There is always a risk in miscommunication when the employee expects a certain amount rather than what the business owner feels is an adequate amount. In order to avoid this morale depleting (and awkward) situation, choose other types of awards to recognize employees’ dedication!

As a business owner, I want my staff to feel the most motivated in their workplace as possible. When I was working for other companies, I also craved incentives that highlighted my achievements – not just a pay raise. Instead of attempting to motivate others with money, try successfully motivating your employees with beautiful pieces that they will cherish forever.

Teamwork

Corporate awards reflect how the team is achieving company goals and reinforces the vision of your company. Recognition awards for service or years of dedication are a great way to attract outside talent while also maintaining internal expertise.

In most leadership development tactics, encouraging an employee in a team setting has been shown to be highly effective to productivity. This productivity is a result from group encouragement, in which members work together as a team toward a common goal.

Teams are built to perform better together and showcase each other’s talents. In a corporate setting, team motivation creates more positive interactions and a stronger workforce.

Publicity

Awards draw attention from bystanders, both internally and externally. By engaging with your team in this way, you open the door to outsiders gaining perspective as to what your business stands for, how the leadership functions, and why choosing your corporation would be the best choice for them.

For small businesses, this type of positive publicity is critical in recruiting future employees, expanding sales to other consumers, and increasing productivity within the workplace.

 

We would love to talk to you about our several options to recognize your team. Call us at 866-924-2778 to talk to one of our staff members.