Deck
the Halls With Holiday Cheer
By
Judy Sheridan
Being
an office manager is tough this time of year. It's often
our responsibility to bridge the cultural divide at
work and inspire everyone with "holiday" cheer
that incorporates traditions from the secular and holy
festivities in the month of December...or not.
While
some employees find it a very meaningful and sacred
time, others enjoy time spent with family and friends
or travel to get away from all the fuss. But they all
have traditions and very specific feelings about this
time of year, and there are conflicting opinions on
how and what to celebrate.
There's
always the risk of being either too partial to one celebration
or too politically correct and not celebrating the season
at all - it's impossible to be all holidays to all people,
and generic wintertime festivities do not make for sincere
holiday spirit. For all intents and purposes, the decorated
pine tree on Parliament Hill is a Christmas tree
and not the "Holiday tree" that the politicos
have proclaimed it to be.
Here
are four things to remember when celebrating the season
at work:
1.
Be understanding of schedules and watch stress levels.
It's
a stressful time for some, whether it's due to personal
demands, pressure to meet up with family and friends,
or the plain old stress of the season. Be aware and
understand that other commitments may hold a higher
priority at this time, and people won't be able to make
a 4 pm staff meeting on the 24th of December. Conversely,
others find this time of year to be a good time to immerse
themselves in work, whether because they don't celebrate
the holidays or don't have a lot of family obligations
to attend to. Either way, 'tis the season to be accommodating.
2.
Ask your employees how they would like to celebrate
the holiday season.
While
dinner parties are the season's status quo, they might
not be how your employees want to celebrate the holidays.
Be democratic; ask your employees how they would like
to enjoy the season on the company's tab. After all,
why spend money on a lavish fete when a simple lunch
will do? (I'm partial to a winter cruise myself...well,
a girl can always dream.)
3.
If giving gifts, make them relevant.
I
remember one boss who presented all his staff with Christmas
gifts every year. While the thought was nice, the gifts
were not appropriate for the demographic of his staff
- after all, bottles of white Dubonnet are not what
19 to 25-year old women typically want! If you decide
to give gifts to employees or clients, make them relevant
and meaningful.
4.
Celebrate your employees!
As
office managers, we often have a pulse on the culture
and tone of the company and can recommend to management
whether to celebrate or not celebrate the holidays accordingly.
Some people prefer to keep their professional and private
lives separate - and that's okay. But you can always
celebrate your employees. As the year comes to a close,
a sincere note of appreciation or acknowledgement for
a job well done can sometimes be the best present ever
(although a cash bonus always helps!).
Above
all, remember the main points of the holiday season:
peace and joy, love and happiness, goodwill to all...and
fruitcake! And regardless of your seasonal observances,
have a happy, healthy, fun-filled New Year!
-Judy
Sheridan is IQ PARTNERS' Manager of Office and Operations.
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