PREPARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

With the holiday season right around the corner, what better time than now to start planning for its arrival? While your employees are thinking about what gifts to buy for their family and friends, there are some things you, as an employer, need to consider before providing time off, assigning job responsibilities, or handing out year-end bonuses.

Below you will find some things you are going to want to think about as the holiday season approaches:

1. Vacation time. Most employees may feel as though they are entitled to time off during the holiday season. Although there's no federal law requiring employers to grant their employees time off around the holidays, refusing to may seriously affect morale. Besides, a few days off around Christmas can actually help employees come back to work recharged and energized for the new year. But, for employers in the retail business and those operating 24/7 establishments, scheduling time off around the holidays can be a challenge. When doing so, you may first want to ask for any volunteers. Some employees may want to work a holiday for the sake of overtime or holiday pay. If staffing is still an issue, the best way to determine who works and who doesn’t is to follow some agreed upon ground rules, which should cover: how far in advance time-off requests must be submitted; on what basis requests are considered (i.e., seniority, first-come-first-served, etc.); and any restrictions on how many people can be off at one time.
2. Staffing needs. If business picks up drastically around the holidays, you might want to consider hiring temporary employees to meet the added demand. Many retail stores utilize this practice around Christmas, but other businesses can also benefit from the extra help, especially when their full-time staff is taking time off.
3. Religious sensitivity. During the holiday season, be sensitive to employees' varying religious faiths. The holiday season isn’t just about Christmas. Consider all religions and beliefs and how they may affect an employee’s availability. Some employees may wish to trade a day off on Christmas Eve for another day during the year that is more important to their faith.
4. Company parties. Many businesses host annual holiday parties. And while you want to ensure your employees have a good time, their safety should be top priority. Keep the following tips in mind when organizing your company's holiday gathering: if you serve alcohol, keep it to a minimum (i.e., 2 or 3 drinks per person); serve heavy foods throughout the night; and remind employees about company policies on conduct, substance abuse, and sexual harassment.
5. Bonuses. With the impact of the economy and a greater focus on efficiency and productivity, year-end bonuses are becoming less of a tradition than they used to be. These days, more employers are concerned with performance based incentives rather than traditional holiday bonuses. But, if you do decide to offer your employees a bonus, there are some things you should keep in mind. First, you never want to make any promises, verbal or otherwise, with regards to an annual bonus. If you have a particularly rough year, or there is an economic downturn, it may be difficult to make good on such a promise. Additionally, bonuses shouldn’t necessarily be granted to all employees; they should be awarded based on an employee’s ability to meet their targeted goals. And remember, don’t just think of bonuses as monetary - there are other perks you can provide your employees if money is tight. In order to show your appreciation, consider the following alternatives: formal recognition, shares in company stock, promotions, or added time off.
6. Community outreach. The holidays can be a difficult time for many people; what better way to show you care and bolster company image than by participating in community outreach programs. Consider having a day where all employees report to and volunteer at a community soup kitchen, shelter, or nursing home. Your efforts to help those in need will go a long way in improving upon your company’s image and feeling good about the work that you do.
7. Holiday gifts. If you're planning on giving holiday gifts to employees or clients, now is a good time to decide what the gift will be and place your order. You'll need to allow time for processing, especially if you're ordering a large number of gifts or want them personalized.
8. Work-loads. During the holiday season, you are also going to want to think about how you are going to delegate tasks. It’s recommended you only assign the essentials because more than likely your employees are going to be busy planning for the holidays and leaving work early or taking some time off. Adding a new project to an already full plate can easily send your employees over the edge. Hold off on starting new initiatives until after the first of the year when employees will return refreshed and ready to go.

The holiday season always has a way of creeping up on us, so getting a head start on your holiday plans is never a bad idea. With the details of how you will be handling vacation time, year-end bonuses, and company parties out of your hair, you and your employees will have more time to relax and enjoy the season.

Trish Dougherty has greater than 25 years of successful leadership experience and is Senior Vice President & Principal for The Weston Group located in Sioux Falls, SD. Dougherty has a background in executive human resource management and is also a licensed Registered Nurse. Dougherty also served as an Officer in the United States Army Nurse Corps for 10 years. Dougherty travels and speaks nationally to assist small to medium size organizations with organizational effectiveness involving their most important asset – their employees. Trish can be reached at Trish@TheWestonGroup.com or 605-275-4747. www.TheWestonGroup.com.