HR's ultimate checklist for a stress-free holiday season

With the holiday season just around the corner, the stress associated with managing employee needs while wrapping up year-end activities can be considerably high. HR teams have to stay aware of employee morale during this time, especially as employees experience increased anxiety due to workload, social obligations, and financial burden. Prioritizing tasks, streamlining processes, and setting clear expectations are central to avoiding havoc.

Here's a checklist that can help you navigate the holiday season.

• Employee leave management

Send out an email to employees outlining the deadline for submitting leave requests, the approval process, and maximum leave days. Encourage leave planning in advance and maintain a shared calendar to keep everyone aligned.

• Key announcements

Send a holiday announcement in advance with key details, including office closure dates, holiday schedules, special working hours, project deadlines, emergency contacts, holiday office parties, and out-of-office message requirements.

• Employee engagement

Host holiday activities like Secret Santa, White Elephant, quizzes, dinner parties, and potlucks to keep the holiday blues at bay. Decorate your workspace and organize volunteering opportunities to spread festive cheer and give back to the community.

Also read: Top 10 activities to keep employees motivated during the holiday season

• Employee well-being

Offer counseling sessions and organize mindful activities like meditation and yoga to help employees beat holiday stress. Support remote working and flexible schedules to help them strike a better work-life balance. Encourage time off. Be empathetic and inclusive.

• Workload management

Get in touch with managers to prioritize and delegate tasks to employees based on their availability. Relax the deadlines of projects that can be postponed. Consider outsourcing to better manage the workload without burning out employees.

• Appreciation and recognition

Take the year-end as the perfect opportunity to reflect on your employees' achievements and offer rewards that keep them pumped up for the new year. Consider offering recognition through year-end bonuses, awards, or even something as small as personalized thank-you notes.

• Compliance

Be sure that all of your employee records are up to date, and verify that employees have used their statutory leave days, if applicable. Review your employee handbook to ensure it aligns with the current laws and regulations. Evaluate your benefits package for compliance.

• Backup plans

Have a backup plan to manage high-priority tasks and ensure smooth operations throughout their completion. Have other employees or freelancers ready to cover for employees who are out. Circulate key contact information for emergencies.

• Plan for the new year

Organize a discussion with C-level leaders and senior managers to gain a clear understanding of the business goals for the upcoming year, and be sure to align HR goals with them. Assess the business growth projections to plan recruitment and training initiatives accordingly. Based on the identified HR initiatives, develop a detailed budget to support these plans.

Final thoughts

Burnout and stress heighten during the holiday season as employees try to complete their year-end goals and balance their other responsibilities. Keeping them happy, organizing activities, and preparing for the new year can certainly be challenging, but a clear checklist will help you wade through it all while keeping up the festive cheer!