If you’re not burned out by early December, are you even a U.S. professional with a slew of responsibilities outside the office?
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If you’re not burned out by early December, are you even a U.S. professional with a slew of responsibilities outside the office? Between planning for the new year, tying up loose ends, and juggling personal obligations, the threat of falling into a slump and losing productivity and momentum is real for employees and the companies they work for. The hiring platform Ladders reports employees surveyed in the U.S. and Europe reported a drop in their own productivity in December, peaking between Dec. 16 and 19. So what can you do to maintain focus for yourself or those you employ?
Set priorities. You can’t do it all during the busiest season but don’t let important meetings or projects fall by the wayside. Collaborate with your team or supervisor to identify and delegate work in a way that is manageable. For employers, strategic holiday planning involves allocating judiciously and fairly to prevent overburdening your staff, writes Sheya Michaeledes, for workplace insight platform Allwork.
Close the office. It may sound counterintuitive, but offering an extra paid day off or two around the holidays could motivate your employees to work harder through the December rush, says Harvard Business Review, which found employees whose offices close beyond the usual holidays are significantly more likely to report higher productivity.
Ring in the new year. By getting excited about new initiatives after the holidays, you can drum up workplace enthusiasm when distractions are piling up. December is a good month for planning sessions for the year ahead, or even a year-end town hall-style meeting to discuss highlights and learning opportunities from the previous 12 months, writes Jennifer Ho for TrainingIndustry.com.
