The holiday season is upon us, and this is the time of year when employees start to become distracted by family visits, holiday shopping, and other seasonal events. This is also the time of year when companies need their employees to buckle down, assessing the current year’s progress and setting goals for the coming year.
It is important that employees work to their full potential throughout the holiday season, but most companies struggle to keep their teams focused throughout November and December. Here are five tips to help your team stay on track this holiday season:
- Set End-of-Year Goals. Managers should meet with each employee to review their goals for the year, and map out a plan to help them meet – and hopefully exceed – those goals down the home stretch of the fourth quarter. Goals can help keep team members focused and motivated on the job.
- Offer Rewards and Incentives. To help employees exceed their goals during the holiday season, provide incentives and rewards. These can be anything from gift cards to a few extra hours off. Rewards provide motivation, and show appreciation for hard work.
- Set an Example. Managers should let their teams know that they understand the holidays can be a distracting time but it won’t affect their work leading the team. When employees see their leaders striving to reach their goals despite stress and distraction, they will do the same.
- Provide the Tools they Need to Succeed. If a team has been struggling with out-of-date computers, software that doesn’t meet their needs, or even a printer that is offline more often than it’s online, the holidays can be the perfect time to provide employees with the upgrades they need to do their jobs well.
- Say Thank You. A little bit of appreciation goes a long way. The end of the year is the perfect time to take a moment to thank the workforce for all of their contributions throughout the year. Acknowledge both the holiday season and the company’s appreciation with some sort of party – even if it’s just a potluck luncheon in the conference room. Giving employees a surprise early dismissal before the holidays can also show appreciation and understanding that the end of the year is stressful for everyone.
If your organization is on the lookout for talented managers and leaders who are masters of employee motivation, contact CERS today. We are a top-tier management recruiting and consulting firm in Miami that can help you locate and hire the right talent to drive your business forward all year round. We are connected to a large, diverse candidate pool, and we can help you craft a recruiting and retention plan for both your short- and long-term needs. Contact us to learn more about our proven methods for success.
