It’s that time of the year again—the holidays are officially in full swing. Despite the joyfulness of the season, you’ve probably seen the statistics: December is one of the most stressful months of the year. With this in mind, we decided to return to a blog post we wrote last year called “4 Steps To Take to Practice Better Retention During the Holidays”. (Read the original blog post here.) Everything we wrote still rings true one year later, but we thought we’d revisit it to add a few additional thoughts for 2024.
PTO During the Holidays: Not Just for YoPros
When we wrote this blog in 2023, our focus was on young professionals in the workplace. However, as we continue to evolve in working with experienced Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers at speaking engagements and consulting work across the country, it’s clear that a generous holiday PTO policy is favorable across all generations.
In our original blog, we said that “the work will be there after the holiday”—and seasoned professionals know this better than anyone. Of course, there are always exceptions to this depending upon the industry, but the holidays are a great opportunity to remind ourselves that much of our work can wait. At YPK, our team likes to say, “we aren’t performing brain surgery” (and we’re grateful to the amazing healthcare heroes who are!). Even though our day-to-day grind is important, taking a moment—especially during the holiday season—to remind ourselves of the difference between our work and true urgency is always a helpful mindset shift. Trust us when we say that your entire team will be grateful for any extra moments you’re able to give, especially if they’re the ones hosting, cooking, and buying gifts for a growing number of children and grandchildren! We know a company can’t run on employee gratitude, but demonstrating that you understand your team’s priorities can keep them loyal and motivated—and your company does run on their talent and hard work.
Consider Alternatives to PTO
Offering your team a generous amount of time off during the holidays sounds great—but since it’s already late November, it might be a little late to change your PTO policy. And although we’re not all performing brain surgery, there are many industries where a few hands on deck are needed, even between Christmas and New Years Day. If that’s you, have no fear! Consider other ways that you can create a flexible work schedule during the holidays. We put together a few ideas for your team:
- Offer a remote-work option when you can. Even if you can’t offer more days off, you’d be surprised at the morale-boosting benefits of giving your team the chance to work remotely during the holidays. Especially for team members whose family isn’t in town, allowing them to work from home could potentially allow them multiple more relaxing evenings with their loved ones before flying back to your city. Another group who benefits from remote work are parents of young children. Winter Break lasts for 2+ weeks, and working from home gives parents the flexibility to navigate childcare. Even with a temporary, small change in policy, you could make a hectic season much more peaceful for your team, which leads to them feeling valued and increases their loyalty to your organization.
- Allow reduced working hours, if possible. Sometimes, check-ins throughout the holidays are necessary, but it’s a great time to reassess how busy your organization is during December. Can you offer reduced working hours to your team? If so, allowing them a little extra time with family can increase morale and soften the experience of working over the holidays. Even if you can’t reduce hours, offering more flexible working hours can help with those traveling, taking care of children, or simply hoping to maximize time while family is together. Creating a little breathing room during a time of heightened responsibilities can go a long way to make your team feel trusted and appreciated—both of which can ultimately benefit your team’s productivity.
- Find a way to make work more casual. We know it may seem like a small suggestion, but if your team can work remotely, can you allow them to attend internal meetings with their cameras off? Consider this: if your team member is staying with family or has a full house, finding a tidy room to set up their camera, while looking camera-ready, might feel especially difficult during the holidays. If you can offer the holiday gift of leniency, it will give your team a sense of relaxation, even while working. Even if you can’t give them remote work, can you offer a more casual dress code? Can you provide lunch? Brainstorm all of the ways, big and small, that you can make the holidays feel special.
Short-Term Loss, Long-Term Gain
We get it—work doesn’t automatically pause in December, and the anxiety of losing out on business or slowing down productivity is real. However, it’s important to keep a long-term perspective about productivity during the holidays. Whatever productivity you lose between Christmas Eve and New Years Day, you will gain by having a recharged, refreshed, and experienced team. One of the biggest causes of lost productivity in business is high turnover and training new employees—but if your team members feel valued and are given a few extra days to rest and recharge, they’ll be more likely to stay with your organization long-term. With this in mind, think of the holidays as a “one step back, two steps forward” move. It can feel counterintuitive, but you may actually hit your long-term goals more quickly!
Before we run away with our PTO (and PTO alternative) ideas, we want to remind you: these are optional and are in no way the only strategies to retain your talent. We understand that to many, the push for more PTO feels extreme (we can’t make money if we don’t work, after all!). However, it’s powerful to learn about the values and preferences across generations, and it’s a best practice to assess—and then reassess—whether our attempts to motivate and value our team are resonating, especially with so many generations in the workforce. As always, do what works for your company, and communicate with your team to learn about their values, preferences, and work styles. At the end of the day, your investment in your team is the most important strategy there is.
At YPK, we believe that connecting across generations means learning from each other’s values, strengths, and experiences, whether at work or enjoying time with friends and family. From our team to yours, we hope you enjoy the holiday season!
If you want more information about the strongest attraction and retention strategies for today’s top talent, download our Fall 2024 Report!
Did you like this week’s post? Then you might like these posts below.
Transforming Talent Retention: The Benefits and Wellness Report
The Key to a Successful PTO Policy? Meaning It.
What’s Next?
Ready to transform your multi-generational workplace culture? Contact YoPro Know today! We can help you develop a thoughtful PTO strategy that fosters positive relationships, strengthens your employer brand, and attracts top talent. Let’s ensure your benefits pave the way for a dynamic cross-generational workforce! To learn more about how our services can help you uncover the power of social media in recruiting and retaining professional talent, schedule Your Free Planning Session Today.
