The holiday season can be pretty stressful for managers and employees. From fitting in more client meetings to accounting for office closures to organizing the staff holiday party, the busy end-of-the-year rush can make it easy for leaders to put employee recognition on the back burner.

However, it should not be this way. Holidays are perfect for recognizing good work and expressing gratitude to those they value. But it is also more than that. Employee engagement is vital to any organization that aims to be successful. Engaging employees create an environment that makes them happier, more motivated, and more productive. And when employees are happy, customers are satisfied, and business is thriving.

With that in mind, let’s look at some great ways you can use to increase employee engagement during the holidays.

1. Provide And Receive Feedback

Providing constructive feedback is one of the most important things a manager can do for their team. But feedback works both ways. Employees should be aware of their performance, areas of improvement, company expectations, and goals, and the end of the year is the perfect time for it. It is also essential for leaders to get employee insights on different pressing issues to increase employee engagement.

So, if you want to stand a chance at increasing employee engagement, your organization needs a robust and integratedemployee engagement tool. Getting employee feedback through automatically sent surveys can help managers learn about the most critical issues and translate them into actionable steps before harming their company culture. Moreover, they will be in a better position to retain their best employees.

2. Create A Festive Atmosphere

Experts say that pretending the holidays do not exist to avoid work disruption creates employee resentment. For this reason, make sure you acknowledge and celebrate the holidays.

Start with your annual holiday party as an essential employee engagement opportunity to encourage your employees to stay on track until the holiday break. If you are currently working remotely, think of organizing a virtual one. It might seem challenging coming up with a plan for this year’s festive online gathering, but leave worries aside.

Manyvirtual holiday party ideascan get even the greatest skeptics into the holiday spirit. You can also opt for hosting daytime off-site events where employees are treated with lovely gifts delivered at their door and a fun online activity. And even though you are not celebrating in person, these virtual get-togethers are a great way to thank your team for their hard work.

3. Reward Outstanding Performance

Rewarding employee performance can be a highly effective method to keep employees motivated and engaged. Although monetary and non-monetary incentives provide recognition, appreciation, and compensation for employees who have worked hard during the year, they are also especially welcomed by those who have put in the extra effort during the holidays.

So, at the start of the holiday season, make it known that team members who display exemplary levels of leadership during the challenging winter months have the potential to be rewarded. Recognition and reward ideas can go from recognition in front of peers, dinner with the boss, magazine subscription, VIP parking spots, and financial bonuses and days off.

4. Communicate Tasks, Projects, And End Goals

Employees feel very stressed during the holidays, making it hard to remain engaged and focus on their tasks. So, to help them beat the work overload, managers should secure open and transparent communication.

To start, they should inform employees of their company’s year-end goals and communicate company holiday plans. Then, they should timely update them on any project or deadline changes or input from clients they may have missed.

In addition, managers must facilitate teamwork, allow employees to take productive breaks, socialize with their coworkers, and, most importantly, make a manageable list of tasks for everyone. The more transparent leaders are about goals and assignments during the holiday season, the more their employees can successfully meet them.

5. Provide Stress-Relief Services In The Office

Stress is a real issue in every office, especially during the holidays. And, fortunately, it is an issue that managers can not ignore because it harms employee performance and engagement and, as a result, the business itself. So, securing stress relief at work (year-long) is one of the leaders’ most important tasks.

There are many ways to help alleviate stress in the office, from posting wellness tips and resources on collaborative communication platforms to introducing corporate health programs. Still, leaders should remember that the most crucial aspect is communicating clearly through actions that they care about their employees from a holistic perspective.

So, during the busy holiday season, they should prioritize self-care for their workforce by offering direct stress relief services in the office. That makes it very convenient for employees to take a break from their busy schedules and find a moment to relax.

Conclusion

Keeping the workforce engaged during the holidays with ways to increase employee engagement activities is a topic on the minds of many managers. If you are one of them, start to tackle this issue by implementing the techniques we gave you above. Making sure you are engaged with your employees is the only way to create a great company culture and employee retention.