How to Reduce Employee Holiday Stress and Prevent Burnout

The holiday season is supposed to be a time of comfort and joy. Yet, for many people it can also be a time of workplace stress and holiday burnout. Employees have to juggle their professional duties with personal demands, such as the financial strain of gift giving, hosting and attending holiday parties, cleaning and cooking.

Moreover, some workers may feel financially or emotionally drained this time of year. Business owners and managers can take steps to relieve their employees’ stress levels around the holiday season and make their lives a little merrier:

Practical Ways Managers Can Reduce Holiday Stress

Be Flexible About Scheduling

Offering flexible scheduling or extra personal time in the days leading up to Thanksgiving or Christmas may be the best gift you can give your employees. This will allow them extra time to run errands, shop, spend time with family or simply unwind during the hectic holiday season.

Hire Temporary Staff, If You Need Extra Help

Hiring a few extra workers can relieve your full-time staff and prevent them from needing to work overtime around the holidays. If your industry has it’s busiest season during the holidays, having backup support can help your full-time employees maintain work-life balance and reduce anxiety about work.

Don’t Overdo Employee Holiday Events

Even though it’s a festive time of year, office holiday parties and other employee events around the holiday season only place an extra burden on your staff. Consider keeping work-related events to a minimum around the holidays, if possible. Perhaps host just one party or employee event over the holiday season.

Praise Your Staff

Your employees may need some extra encouragement and compliments around the holidays. Tell employees directly that they’re doing good work or give them cards with messages that show gratitude. Whatever you do, avoid making the holidays extra stressful by complaining too much or pressuring your employees.

Be Sensitive to Cultural and Religious Differences

Remember that not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas—and you don’t want to ostracize employees who don’t. Make sure all employees will feel welcome at any events you throw around the holidays. Instead of calling it your company’s “Annual Christmas Party”, consider renaming it a “Winter Celebration” or “Holiday Party”.

Be on the Lookout for Over-Stressed Employees—and Lend a Hand

For some people, the holidays may not be joyous at all. Keep an eye out for an employee who might seem especially distracted or distraught around the holidays and offer to listen and help out any way you can, recommends Rich Bayer, CEO of Upper Bay Counseling and Support Services in Elkton, Maryland. Sometimes holiday stress or sadness can be caused by personal issues or problems at home. “For instance, the first holiday after the death of a loved one can be particularly sad,” Bayer writes. “Most likely, this is a ‘situational sadness,’ and the employee should rebound when the holiday is over.”

Consider promoting mental health resources during this time to help employees cope with feeling overwhelmed at work during the holidays. Although this time can be cheery and bright for some, it can also be a sensitive time for those who have lost a loved one or have a strained relationship with someone they cared about.

Keep the Workplace Fun

Even though the holiday season can be a hectic time for some businesses—especially those in retail or the hospitality industry—it’s good to bolster employees’ spirits by maintaining a fun, lighthearted mood in the workplace. Hcareers.com, a job site for the hospitality industry, writes: “Small gestures like seasonal treats, holiday-themed contests and games, and special prizes can help defuse some of the tension that your super-busy staff is likely to be shouldering.”

Holiday Stress Management Checklist for Managers

Support your team member’s mental health and productivity during the holiday season with these actional steps:

Planning & Scheduling

• Review team workloads and adjust deadlines to reduce pressure
• Offer flexible work hours or remote options where possible (For example, the week between Christmas and New Years Day)
• Encourage employees to use their PTO

Communication

• Check in with team members individually to understand their stress levels
• Acknowledge holiday-related challenges in team meetings
• Set expectations for attendance and work loads to avoid any last minute surprises

Wellness & Mental Health

• Promote available wellness programs and mental health resources
• Share tips for maintaining work-life balance
• Plan time for the team to get together, connect and celebrate

Culture and Connection

• Organize low-pressure, inclusive holiday activities (For example, a white elephant party where everyone brings something from their home they already have but don’t need anymore)
• Recognize your team achievements and express appreciation to everyone for their hard work
• Be thoughtful about diverse holiday traditions and religious differences

Productivity & Flexibility

• Prioritize essential tasks and postpone non-urgent projects until the new year
• Allow for asynchronous work when possible
• Be flexible with meeting times and formats (For example, move any meetings that are after 4 PM to earlier in the day so employees can prioritize their personal time during this holiday season)

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