By Dr Matthew Chow, Psychiatrist and TELUS Chief Mental Health Officer
While for many the holiday season signals a well-deserved break from a busy year, and is filled with family, food and festivities – there are also stressors that come with this time of year, and some people will struggle more than others.
Because of this, it’s essential that leaders understand the additional stress employees may face during the holidays, and how to help support them through the season so that they can return to work in the new year healthy and productive.
Let’s take a look at the factors affecting employee wellbeing as the end of the year approaches, and what leaders can do to better support their people.
Many employees take vacation around the holidays, but the lead up to the end of year can be a stressful period at the office. Looming deadlines, and end of Q4 sprints can affect wellbeing. This is especially true if workers are already feeling burnt out – and many are – research from the TELUS Mental Health Index shows that up to 42 per cent of workers report feeling exhausted after work.
So how can leaders help? One way is by allowing for flexible work arrangements that suit the unique needs of the employee. For example, this could be work from home days, or adapted hours in the event of a sick child or family member. Employees appreciate flexibility, and 25 per cent of American employees report that their organisation could improve flexible work policies.
In addition to flexible work, as we approach the holiday season, managers should set realistic deadlines and disperse workload throughout the final quarter. Hiring seasonal workers can also be an alternative for organizations that require uninterrupted operations during the holidays. This way, business continuity needs can be met without sacrificing time off for your regular staff.
Finally, leaders should be coached on managing their people with empathy and compassion. Leadership quality goes beyond skill development – and a good manager fosters their team’s trust and supports their overall wellbeing. With the holidays potentially being a sensitive time, due to compounding social, caregiving and workplace obligations, each employee may require personalised support.
Team members appreciate compassionate managers. When surveyed, American workers who reported their manager as strongly humane had mental health scores higher than the national average – whereas employees who rated their managers as weakly humane were more than eight points lower than the national average.
In many parts of the world, the holidays fall during the winter season. Reduced daylight hours and cold, wet and snowy weather bring with it the risk of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). SAD can make employees feel depressed and lethargic during the winter months – which can lead to general poor health and a loss in productivity. With one third of workers in the UK reporting feeling anxious, and one quarter feeling depressed, employers should be on the watch for the additional effects of SAD on employee mental health during this time of year.
And while for some the holidays signal a time of family, friends and connection – it can also be a hard time for employees grieving the loss of a loved one, or who generally feel lonely and isolated. Mental health conditions can also be exacerbated by the personal feelings people have about the holidays.
To help support mental health, leaders should ensure employees have the support of an EAP that provides comprehensive mental health support with access to counselling professionals and resources to support wellbeing. Leaders should also be sure to communicate to employees that these supports are available, with details on how to access them, as well as provide reassurance regarding confidentiality.
What some call “the most wonderful time of year” often coincides with cold and flu season. This means your employees are likely battling sickness while trying to show up for work, and manage the rest of their lives. Additionally, employees with children often have to keep them home from school or daycare when they are sick to take care of them.
Physical health concerns range from seasonal illnesses to ongoing conditions, and 28 per cent of European workers report that health and medical concerns are a source of personal stress.
Along with flexible work arrangements, use of sick-days and manager empathy, employers should provide access to physical wellbeing support. An example of this is providing an EAP that supports physical health concerns by providing access to healthcare professionals and resources that can support physical wellbeing.
Along with factors inherent to the holidays that impact employee physical and mental health – financial wellbeing is also a concern for many around this time of year. Managing holiday expenses can be a concern, and financial pressure can build throughout the year – peaking around the holidays. Financial concerns are top of mind for employees around the world, with 45 per cent of workers in Singapore reporting that financial concern is a source of stress, and 44 per cent of American workers reporting the same.
Employers can help support employee financial wellbeing in a few ways. Avoiding holiday gift exchanges that create financial pressure, negotiating corporate discounts with retailers and providing early bonus communication so that employees can plan for the new year are several strategies to implement.
One of the most impactful ways to support financial wellbeing is to provide comprehensive financial support through an EAP, which can provide employees access to budgeting and money management guidance, 24/7 access to financial counsellors, financial planning seminars and more.
While the holidays may apply a specific seasonal pressure, it’s essential that employers foster employee wellbeing year-round. Ensuring that leaders are coached on empathy and communicate to their team the support available to them, alongside providing a comprehensive EAP that supports holistic wellbeing – physical, mental and financial – can help ensure your organisation is fostering a sustainable culture of care.
A proactive approach to employee wellbeing helps ensure that when stressful periods of time arise in the year, your team members are prepared with the tools and resources they need to stay well.