According to the results of a new poll by Accountemps, most employees get distracted and are less productive during the holiday season. The poll included responses from HR, finance, and
marketing executives at the country’s 1,000 largest companies. Forty-four percent of executives polled said their employees are less productive the week before a major holiday, while 23 percent of executives surveyed reported that workers are more productive during holiday times.
If your workplace is one of those that suffers from low productivity during holiday periods, how can you help workers stay focused and ensure the work gets done? Here are some tips:
1. Plan ahead. Accountemps suggests that employees can help beat the holiday rush and remain productive by planning with supervisors and colleagues and allowing adequate time to prepare for and complete major projects that occur during the holiday season. Also, if productivity suffered during last year’s holiday season, take a close look now to see why and how you can make some adjustments to prevent the same problems this year.
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2. Set an example. If supervisors and managers are slacking off during the holidays–maybe by leaving early or taking longer lunches to do their shopping–other employees are likely to follow that lead. Conversely, if those at the top work to stay focused and get their work done, there’s a better chance that subordinates will follow that example.
3. Be of good cheer. If the corporate message is “all work and no play” during the holidays, that could send employee morale, and productivity, into a downward spiral. Consider working some holiday cheer into the workplace, such as a gift exchange or a festive lunch.
Do you have employee-behavior problems relating to wasting time during the holidays? Do you have plans to bring some holiday cheer into your workplace? Share them on the California Employer Forum, and get feedback from colleagues across the state.