Around the holiday time, stress in the workplace is typically higher than usual. During a time that people should feel at ease, most are on edge.
There’s so much happening at this time of year, it’s even hard to sit down and write this white paper! Personally and professionally, the final two months of the year can be a wild ride with extra commitments and tight deadlines thrown in on top of normal schedules and work. According to a survey by Deloitte, 77% of respondents said they have experienced burnout at their current job. Add holiday stress and end-of-year deadlines to this equation and you have the potential for serious burnout throughout your organization.
At The Change Agents, we believe people are always a company’s greatest asset and resource. Putting practices and procedures in place to guide your team to the end of the year is not only kind, but vital to your future success. Good company culture can combat burnout at the end of the year. Here are a few practices you can put in place now to help your team finish the year on a positive note.
1. Set clear expectations and deadlines for the work that must be done between now and the end of the year.
As Brené Brown says, clear is kind. Every member of your organization is dealing with a limited amount of time at the end of the year. Holidays shorten the weeks and with many team members using PTO, work will not move at the pace it usually does. Now is the time to look at the projects every team is working on and make decisions about what must be completed by the end of the year and what can wait until 2023. These clear lines will bring focus to your teams and allow them to set any necessary deadlines. This is not the time of the year anyone wants (or needs) to be working later or longer than necessary. So, choose the kind way and get clear about what must be completed.
Time away from the office does the body and mind good. Use your PTO. Take that vacation.
2. Make sure employees are using their vacation days.
According to research from the U.S. Travel Association, Oxford Economics and Ipsos, American workers left 768 million vacation days unused in 2018. In 2020, another study by the U.S. Travel Association found that Americans left an average of 33% of their paid time off on the table. It’s clear many Americans struggle to use all their vacation time, but research has repeatedly shown that time away from the office is vital to a person’s mental health and ability to do excellent work.
Now is the time for supervisors to check in with their team members about any remaining vacation days. If you’re the head of your organization, consider if you have room to be unexpectedly generous with extra time off. In the long run, it will be beneficial to your organization if your employees use all their paid time off.
Bonus: Once all vacation days are scheduled, make sure teams clearly communicate their schedules and availability. This will not only help those who are working the quiet office days at the end of the year but will ensure all necessary bases are covered.
3. Encourage employees to add a self-care ritual to their workdays.
With so many extra stressors in the last weeks of the year, it’s crucial that your employees look after themselves. You can encourage team members to pick a self-care ritual by suggesting things like HR providing healthy snacks in the break room, people stepping away from their desks for a walk, or writing tomorrow’s to-do list before wrapping up for the day. Whatever your team members choose, support them as they find ways to keep their stress levels low.
At the end of the day, most people just want to feel appreciated, knowing that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Celebrate your team for making it through the good and bad times.
4. Celebrate and thank your team for the work they accomplished this year.
A healthy company culture will celebrate the wins and meaningful work accomplished in 2022 before crossing over into the new year. The people of your organization have dedicated hours upon hours of their lives to the mission of your organization and thanking them for that time and effort is a sign that you see and value them.
Many companies throw an end of year party—and while it’s most likely too late for you to alter any plans in that department, you might consider what would be most enjoyable to your team in the future. For example, can your holiday celebration be during work hours instead of after-hours? This could give your staff a break in their work schedule and keep their personal life a little more open during one of the busiest times of the year. Or, instead of a company-wide celebration, would employees prefer extra time off or bonuses in the bank? Get curious about what your team would prefer—it may not be what you expect.
4. Lead by example.
There’s no way around it—the leaders in your company have a massive influence over the culture of your organization. If these individuals are not walking the walk of taking vacation days, celebrating the year’s work, keeping healthy practices and boundaries in place, and setting end-of-year deadlines, then neither will the people working for them. It’s critical for the health of your entire organization that your leadership proactively combat work burnout as well.
Consider This An Investment in 2023
According to a report from YouGov America, most people find their stress increases, rather than decreases, during this time of the year. As your company starts to end the 2022 work year, it’s time to consider how you’ll center your employees and their well-being. Helping them avoid burnout will not only encourage their individual flourishing, but will ensure more thoughtful, impactful work in 2023.
If you’re looking for guidance in how to combat burnout within your organization, The Change Agents are eager to help. We are problem solvers who will approach your unique company challenges from a human angle. We’ll help you build practices that support the long-term health of your organization and people. Contact us on our website or at 512-534-5510 to learn more.