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By Dec. 1, you can't enter a mall without hearing Christmas
carols or seeing Santa on his break at Starbucks. Parties abound.
TV is loaded up with classic and not-so-classic films, tugging at
the heartstrings. It is the "festive season" and the idea
is to have fun, to be sentimental and to gather with the ones we
love, the ones we like and the ones we're related to and are
required to visit.
Yet we know for many, it is a very different time of year.
Reminders of family spark regret or a sense of loss. Romantic songs
and movie scenes stand in stark contrast with hard reality. Even
those who are among the most fortunate can suffer a hidden grief
which is only magnified by the "season of light". It can
be a very lonely time of year.
There's not much an organization can do to cure
employees' personal problems, but employers can avoid making
them worse. Here are some tips:
Keep an eye out for signs that employees may be troubled or
depressed. The holidays can be brutal for some people.
Reach out to people, especially those you know may be more
vulnerable right now. You're probably aware of who suffered a
death in the family this year, or went through a divorce, or is
dealing with a sick or troubled child. Are they coping? Are they
engaged or withdrawing from work life? What, if anything, can you
do to help?
Call an employee who is off sick to remind them they're
part of the team. Invite them to the office party. They can always
decline, but at least you asked.
Avoid making things worse: manage the office party carefully
(see our
article on that) so that people don't drink too much.
Alcohol stimulates fun but it's also a risky depressant.
Try not to catch "year-end-itis" – a condition
where organizations decide to solve their unresolved issues by Dec.
31. It can cause worse problems in the New Year.
If there is a negative or critical report or evaluation of an
employee, is it necessary to drop the news on someone in December?
Maybe it can wait until January.
Unless there is urgent cause, do not terminate
someone's employment in December. Getting fired near the
holidays is a disaster on an emotional and financial level.
Individuals take bad news harder and Courts punish employers for
it. Wait until January unless it is truly urgent to act now.
We spend much of our time at work – we are part of each
other's lives. We can't be friends with everyone there, but
we can be friendly. We can't and shouldn't try to cure
everyone's troubles, but if we can lighten the load of someone
burdened, why not?
'Tis the season, after all.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
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