
Eventually, either after that long weekend or in January, we’ll all be returning to work. And in the meantime, there’s still work to be done.
For managers, especially people running SMEs, this is a tricky time of year. There are two ways things can go wrong. Be too much of a hard task master and the staff will feel like Bob Cratchit; resentment is never a component of a productive workplace. Go too far the other way, and festive fever turns the team into Garfield clones leading to productivity falling off. One way to achieve an appropriate balance is to ask: How can the team have the best Christmas ever? As they clock off for the final time before their Christmas break, you want them to feel good. Not just because you all had a fantastic office party, but because they’re entering their Christmas holidays with a sense of pride about what’s been achieved so far; by the company and by them individually and as a team. Tell them they deserve every bit of a superb holiday, but also set targets for their return. Nothing dramatic, but the targets need to be significant. And importantly, achievable. The message is that they had a brilliant year, and when they return, they will accomplish even more. This way, they take with them a strong sense of personal satisfaction.Read more on the corporate Christmas:
- The 10 most engaging 2015 Christmas adverts from British retailers
- ‘Tis the season to be jolly: The importance of Christmas to UK small firms is unveiled
- Are you among the 54 per cent of Brits that dread the work Christmas party?
Your team should come back rested, energised and with positive anticipation for the New Year.
Don’t squander this. Put as much effort into communicating your vision for the coming year as you did conveying your pre-Christmas message. If you don’t, your team’s enthusiasm and drive will dwindle, and their productivity will slip. Gather your staff together and define the company’s short and long term goals. During this New Year message, you need to address some key questions: What is the fundamental reason for the company’s existence? Why does it do what it does? How can customer service be boosted and what difference will that make? What is the team’s role in this and how important are they to the company’s success?Share this story