How to Prevent Employee Burnout at Christmas
KEY POINTS
Holiday stress and tight year-end deadlines can easily lead to employee burnout.
Flexible schedules, realistic workloads, and year-round feedback help ease pressure.
Providing mental health support and fostering empathy keeps teams healthy and engaged.
As the holiday season approaches, many workplaces experience a surge in activity, leading to increased stress levels among employees.
The pressure of meeting year-end deadlines, juggling personal commitments, and dealing with dwindling resources due to annual leave can create the perfect storm for Christmas burnout. Managing holiday stress is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensuring that employees remain engaged and productive. This blog will explore the causes of burnout around the holidays, why preventing it is important, and how employers can take proactive measures to support their teams during this busy season.
What causes Christmas burnout?
Up to 70% of employees report feeling more stressed during the holiday season than any other time of the year. Burnout during the holiday season can stem from several workplace and personal stressors. Understanding these triggers can help employers address the root causes and prevent employee burnout from taking hold.
Seasonal deadlines
Many businesses face tight end-of-year deadlines, with projects that need to be wrapped up before the holiday season. Employees may feel the pressure to meet these deadlines, which can lead to working long hours and sacrificing personal time. When deadlines overlap with the festive period, it adds an extra layer of stress that can quickly lead to burnout.
Many individuals find themselves having to make a choice between maintaining peak work performance and preparing for the holiday festivities and managing this holiday stress at work can become difficult. The combination of impending project deadlines, business meetings, shopping obligations, and social reunions can intensify the pressure, leading to undue stress. Consequently, this dual expectation of sustaining productivity levels while immersing in the holiday spirit can take a significant toll on employees’ overall well-being, affecting both their personal and professional lives. The holiday season should be one of joy, so managing this type of workplace holiday stress should be handled as quickly as possible to enable your employees to enjoy their well-deserved rest.
Less resource due to annual leave
As employees use up their remaining annual leave days towards the end of the year, the workforce can become stretched thin, leaving the remaining team members with an increased workload. This leads to fewer resources available in the office as more people take time off, forcing teams to manage the same volume of work with fewer hands. The added responsibilities and pressure often result in longer working hours and a heightened sense of urgency, contributing to feelings of overwhelm, reduced productivity, and ultimately Christmas burnout. This combination of factors can amplify holiday season stress, as employees struggle to keep up with demands in a diminished workforce.
End of year performance reviews
For many companies, December marks the time for end-of-year performance reviews. These evaluations can be stressful for employees, as they are often tied to promotions, bonuses, and future opportunities. Preparing for these reviews, coupled with an already heavy workload, can elevate stress levels and lead to burnout.
Personal stresses
Beyond the workplace, employees also deal with personal stresses during the holiday season. Family obligations, financial pressures and holiday preparations can make it difficult for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This mix of professional and personal demands can lead to exhaustion and reduced motivation. Financial pressure stemming from the perceived need for extravagant celebrations or gift-giving can significantly burden individuals, leading to feelings of inadequacy and distress. Additionally, navigating complex family dynamics can play a part into heightened emotional strain during this time. This disparity between the idealized holiday narrative and personal realities can lead to a sense of disillusionment and emotional holiday stress, further contributing to the burden of external stress.
Loneliness and Isolation
According to a recent Meta-Gallup survey, nearly one in four people worldwide experiences varying degrees of loneliness, which only accentuates during the festive season. Notably, the survey reveals that the highest rates of feeling lonely are reported among young adults (aged 19 to 29), with 27% feeling very or fairly lonely. The pressure to meet societal expectations, coupled with the emphasis on the importance of spending time with loved ones, can harbour feelings of isolation for those who may not have a strong support system and induce a lot of holiday stress. Moreover, the cultural emphasis of the holiday season may broaden the sense of exclusion for individuals who may come from different cultural backgrounds and who cannot benefit from the support of their communities during this time.
SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder
Dr. Yudkoff at the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital emphasizes that this time of year is characterized by a prevalent onset of SAD, often coupled with social isolation, which can be particularly concerning, given the season’s emphasis on social connections. Individuals affected by SAD during the holidays may grapple with persistent low mood, reduced energy, disrupted sleep, and changes in appetite, significantly affecting their overall well-being. SAD is often played off as the “winter blues”, but Dr. Kelly Rohan, professor of psychological science and a clinical psychologist, tells us it is in fact a form of clinical depression, with longer lasting symptoms.
Why it’s important to prevent Christmas burnout
Preventing Christmas burnout is crucial not only for the well-being of employees but also for the overall health of the organisation. Employees who experience burnout are more likely to take sick days, disengage from their work and ultimately become more prone to making costly mistakes. For employees, preventing burnout means preserving their mental and physical health, allowing them to enjoy the holiday season without feeling overwhelmed.
For employers, taking steps to prevent burnout saves money in the long run. A workforce that is overworked and stressed is more prone to burnout, absenteeism, and decreased productivity. By fostering a supportive environment and addressing potential stressors early, businesses can maintain a high level of performance even during the busiest time of the year.
How employers can help prevent burnout
Employers play a key role in preventing Christmas burnout by implementing proactive measures that prioritise employee well-being. Here are several strategies to help keep stress at bay during the holiday season.
1. Set more realistic deadlines
One of the most effective ways to prevent burnout is by setting realistic deadlines. Employers should review project timelines and identify tasks that can be postponed until after the holiday season. Setting achievable goals allows employees to manage their workloads without feeling overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations. Prioritising key projects and giving employees the flexibility to complete less urgent tasks later can alleviate much of the holiday stress.
2. Hire extra staff for the season
According to Stanford University research, productivity significantly decreases after 50 hours of work per week, with a steep decline beyond 55 hours. If your business experiences a significant increase in workload during the holiday season, consider hiring temporary or seasonal staff to help manage the demand. Bringing in extra resources can relieve some of the pressure on your permanent employees and prevent burnout. This strategy not only supports your current team but also ensures that your business continues to run smoothly during the busy period.
3. Replace end-of-year reviews with regular feedback
Instead of relying solely on year-end performance reviews, consider implementing a system of regular feedback throughout the year. Continuous feedback helps employees stay aligned with company goals and receive recognition for their efforts more frequently. By the time December arrives, the pressure of preparing for a single review is reduced, as employees are already aware of their progress. This approach helps maintain engagement and reduces anxiety around performance evaluations.
4. Offer flexible hours this time of year
Offering flexible working hours can significantly reduce Christmas and stress during the holiday season. Allowing employees to adjust their schedules gives them the opportunity to balance work with personal commitments. Whether it's starting work later to avoid the morning rush or working remotely for a few days, flexibility provides employees with more control over their time, helping to manage stress more effectively.
5. Offer mental health support as a benefit & integrate employee wellness programs
Mental health support is essential for preventing burnout, especially during high-stress periods like Christmas. By providing access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), employers can offer confidential counselling and resources to help employees manage holiday season stress. An EAP can assist with everything from work-related stress to personal challenges, ensuring that employees have the support they need when they need it most. By offering a holistic approach to well-being, organizations foster an environment that prioritizes the overall health and happiness of their employees and reducing stress around the holiday season.
For example, CareConnect, our innovative EAP service, offers 24/7 access to mental health professionals in over 30 different languages. This is particularly beneficial for expat employees who may be struggling with the darker, colder months, or for those who are far from home during the holidays. With CareConnect, employees can access support without language barriers or delays, ensuring they feel heard and supported at all times.
6. Elevated Employee Integration Initiatives
Fostering a culture of heightened employee integration by prioritizing mutual support and understanding is crucial for workplace cohesion, especially during holiday seasons. Multicultural teams benefit significantly from feeling a sense of community within the workplace. Programs tailored for employees’ native languages not only enhance communication but also improve team dynamics, boost morale, job satisfaction.
7. Proactive Mental Health Training for Managers
Providing proactive mental health training for managers and team leaders equips them with the necessary tools to identify and address potential mental health challenges within their teams. By promoting mental health awareness and destigmatizing conversations around mood disorders, organizations cultivate a culture of compassion and support, ensuring that employees feel heard and valued.
How can CCS help with holiday stress at work?
CCS offers a comprehensive range of services aimed at addressing the diverse needs of employees during the challenging holiday season.
EAP: Our EAPs are voluntary and fully confidential, company-sponsored services that aid employees and their direct family members in dealing with a wide range of personal or work-related problems through assessment, short-term counselling, and specialised referrals. During more than 35 years that CCS has been working with client companies, our EAPs have continuously proved their positive impact on workplace health, employee well-being, motivation, productivity, and the company’s bottom line.
CareConnect: Our response to the need for multilingual support, CareConnect service has 28 languages to offer from native language resources using just one singular access point. CareConnect ensures that employees, including expats and foreign workers, receive counselling in their native language, fostering a deeper level of understanding and support crucial for well-being and effective communication during the holiday season.
Training & Webinars: As integral add-ons to our Employee Assistance Program, we’ve crafted a diverse range of webinars providing valuable educational opportunities for both individuals and groups in the workplace environments. These sessions cover a spectrum of mental health and well-being topics, allowing organizations to not only raise awareness of employees but also educate line managers and supervisors. Moreover, these webinars align with organizational objectives and actively contribute to fostering a culture of workplace health and overall well-being among the workforce.
Amid the holiday festivities, it becomes crucial for organizations to embrace holistic support systems that recognize the myriad challenges employees might encounter—be it feelings of solitude, the weight of stress, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Cultivating empathy emerges as a key player in crafting a workplace culture that deeply values the well-being of its members. By fostering understanding and solidarity, we create an environment that not only acknowledges but warmly nurtures the mental health and emotional resilience of employees.
Preventing Christmas burnout requires a proactive approach from employers who recognize the impact of stress on their workforce. By understanding the causes of burnout and implementing strategies such as flexible working hours, realistic deadlines, and access to mental health resources, businesses can support their employees during the holiday season. If you’d like to learn more about how our Employee Assistance Programs like CareConnect can help you manage holiday season stress, contact us today.
References
- SAIF Corporation (2016) Holiday stress is no humbug https://www.saif.com/safety-and-health/holiday-stress-is-no-humbug.html
- Stanford University / CNBC (2019) Longer hours doesnโt make you more productive โ hereโs how to get more done by doing less https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/20/stanford-study-longer-hours-doesnt-make-you-more-productive-heres-how-to-get-more-done-by-doing-less.html