If you already have an employee of the month program, you can extend it during the holidays and recognize the work of a different person each day, give out small prizes, gifts, bonuses, free afternoons and applaud the effort of all your collaborators.
That time of year is approaching where music, lights and Christmas decorations take over the streets, shops and houses. The Christmas spirit is felt in the air. Employers cannot be oblivious to the joy of the time and can take advantage to motivate the employees of their company. Ann Marie Puig, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist from Costa Rica, provides advice for keeping employees motivated during the holiday season.
Ideally, everyone should all have holidays at Christmas time, but the holidays bring with them the increase in sales and customers, and that does not allow everyone to enjoy a break as they would like. For this reason, business owners and operators should try to maintain a high motivation in their teams, and there are several ways to achieve this. Says Puig, “If you already have an employee of the month program, you can extend it during the holidays and recognize the work of a different person each day, give out small prizes, gifts, bonuses, free afternoons and applaud the effort of all your collaborators.”
Christmas holidays and traditions revolve around food. To make employees feel at home, the company can offer special lunches or dinners for the team and have desserts and sweets in the companyÂ’s dining room or lounge. Another way to motivate your employees during the festivities is by participating in collective donations. Despite being the busiest time of the year, for employees, it is very rewarding to provoke a smile and brighten the lives of others. Take a moment to organize donations and deliver them together with your collaborators in schools or hospitals. This will spread the festive spirit of the whole team.
During December, which is approaching quickly, many organizations usually celebrate Christmas. However, some employees may become offended or discriminated against because they have to participate in a celebration that is not aligned with their beliefs. For this reason, business owners and operators must value cultural diversity and be respectful of the celebrations of various ethnic and religious groups. The ideal is to create an inclusive work environment for the entire work team.
This can be accomplished by learning about other cultures. Each culture has its special dates. Talk to your collaborators about the celebrations they practice to learn from each of them and take them into account. In addition, businesses can define a multicultural calendar. Mark on a calendar other celebrations such as Hanukkah or Ramadan. Find their dates and record them so that they can be consulted by all collaborators. Ideally, each holiday should be commemorated in a respectful manner by the entire team.
Be respectful of differences and allow employees to opt-out of the events the organization has in store without any sanction or retaliation. No one can feel compelled to participate in a celebration they donÂ’t believe in. Maintaining a non-specific decoration can also help. Instead of assembling the Christmas tree and filling the office with dolls alluding to Santa Claus, you can decorate with generic ornaments such as flowers, wreaths or candles. DonÂ’t throw a party around a particular celebration. Instead, host a meeting to celebrate the achievements made throughout the year by all employees.
For some, December is the happiest time of the year. For others, itÂ’s the most stressful. Therefore, the organization must maintain a warm, fun and focused work atmosphere in recognizing the excellent work that the team is doing. This way, you will be able to motivate employees to feel happy and satisfied.
About Ann Marie Puig
Ann Marie Puig has been a distinguished Consultant, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, Director of Accounting and Finance and Chief Financial Officer for almost 20 years. Â She is bilingual in Spanish and English and has a reputation for accurate, clear and concise record management in month-end closings, accruals, reconciliations, AP, AR and JE, as well as superior human resource skills. Â She is extremely knowledgeable in current technology, eCommerce and a variety of Industries.