It’s that time of year again – time to thank the staff for their efforts, socialise and catch up, pay a little extra attention to employee wellbeing. Create a positive and festive atmosphere in the workplace to lift everyone’s mood.
The CIPD say: Investing in employee wellbeing can lead to increased resilience, better employee engagement, reduced sickness absence and higher performance and productivity.
Wellbeing includes the major components of a great life — an individual’s experiences and perceptions of what’s important. Work influences home life, and home life influences work. It’s in an employer’s best interest for workers to have a thriving life and bring the effect of that thriving life to work.
What can employers do to improve wellbeing during the festive period?
Here are a few suggestions:
Deck the halls: Allow team members to decorate their workspace or common areas with holiday themed items. Lights and poinsettias are low key but cheerful and festive.
Take a break: Arrange a team-building activity perhaps with a festive theme – a quiz, treasure hunt or game with a festive theme. Collaboratively create a holiday playlist and play it in the office – music can boost mood and create a festive atmosphere. Organize a Secret Santa gift exchange. Set a limit on spending and keep it modest. A gift lottery is a fun way for the team to exchange small gifts and add to the holiday cheer.
Give back: This is a great way to enable employee wellbeing. Volunteer as a team to engage with community service activities.
Celebrate success: Acknowledge and celebrate the team’s achievements and successes from the year, with a team meeting, email, or a small recognition ceremony. Express gratitude for each team member’s contributions perhaps with personalized thank-you notes or a team-wide appreciation activity.
Share and enjoy: Be mindful of the diversity of your team and ensure that any celebrations are inclusive and respectful of different cultural and religious backgrounds. Encourage team members to share their holiday stories and traditions. This helps build a sense of connection and understanding among team members.
Wellbeing at work: Employee wellbeing in the workplace is a retention booster and a talent magnet. Leaders who want to attract and retain star talent, especially in a difficult labour market, should prioritize wellbeing and take steps to create healthy workplace culture.
Aim to create a positive and inclusive atmosphere that brings joy to everyone on the team with an emphasis on engagement and employee wellbeing.
