December Safety Tip

Holiday Stress

Coping with Stress Around the Holidays

With the end of the year comes the holiday season.  Everyone is familiar with the tension that the holidays can cause at home, and that same feeling of anxiety can spill over into the workplace.  End-of-year business demands and holiday-shortened deadlines take a toll on employee’s nerves.  According to experts, more people become depressed or anxious during the holiday season than any other time of the year.

At the workplace, holiday-related doldrums manifest themselves in various forms, including a disengaged work force.  Productivity tends to drop off around the holidays, which can be caused by stress, but also feeling relaxed and carefree about the spirit of the season.  This shift in attitude can affect employee safety.

How can employers help their employees deal with holiday stress?  The following are some suggestions to help reduce holiday stress in the workplace:

• Give employees a more flexible schedule to help them deal with added burdens outside the office.
• Ease up on the dress code.
• Incorporate wellness breaks to give employees a chance to refocus, such as a walk outside or quick team yoga session.
• Help employees prioritize projects to manage pending deadlines.
• Encourage employees to stay home when sick to help avoid spreading illness among the team.
• Motivate employees to work together and share the workload.
• Educate employees about financial wellness to assist them with budget concerns and enable them to plan ahead for holiday expenses.
• Remind employees how important safety is in the workplace.

Employers can play a critical role in ensuring employees have the necessary support and are aware of resources that can provide assistance both during the holiday season and throughout the calendar year.

December 2018 Safety Tip:  Holiday Stress