‘It’s a time of year that can bring stress, both at home and at work,’ says Chris Taylor, citing need for wellbeing support
As we veer towards the busy holiday season – taking the Black Friday chaos in with it – retail employees and their HR leaders are increasingly stressed, anxious and wary of what the next few weeks will bring.
According to research released this week from StoreFeeder, 45% of retail employees feel an increase in stress around Black Friday and Cyber Monday – with that figure rising to 65% for younger works.
This increase has led some employers to dive down into their wellbeing plans to not only help employees make it through this busy time, but actually enjoy themselves while they do it.
At Best Buy Canada, the holidays are an exciting time and employees work hard to provide “great experiences” for customers, says CHRO Chris Taylor.
“It’s also a time of year that can bring stress, both at home and at work.”
Wellbeing support isn’t one-size-fits-all, he says, so the company deploys different strategies, such as “curated” resources on the internal well-being site, a network of wellbeing champions who lead on-the-ground initiatives and check-ins, regular leader check-ins and an EAP.
Data from Mintel found that December is the most stressful month for employees, with research from National Alliance on Mental Illness adding that 64% of individuals with pre-existing mental health concerns noting a deterioration in their condition throughout the festive period.
In the months leading up to the holidays, Best Buy Canada reinforces the importance of rest, nutrition, support and recognition in all areas of the business, says Taylor.
“We continue to emphasize our holiday-specific well-being website with tons of resources. Most importantly, we support and empower our leaders to adjust schedules and avoid excessive overtime.”
At the head office, the company also holds events and celebrates a fun culture, he says.
“Our corporate holiday potlucks have become extremely popular over the years and bring cultures together through food and celebration of all we that have achieved leading into the holidays.”
At Best Buy Canada, championing fun and comradery makes employees feel more connected to their colleagues and more likely to stay longer, work harder and thrive in their career progression.
“Having fun while being the best is a value that our employees have embraced, and it’s on full display over the holidays,” Taylor tells HRD. “Our stores organize challenges, team-building activities and they give back to their communities through toy drives and volunteering initiatives.
There are also pancake breakfasts at the distribution centres, and at one location, employees organize a holiday parade by decorating equipment into floats.
“I’m very excited about what we have in store for 2025,” adds Taylor. “A few things that come to mind are expanding our well-being champion network, increasing leadership training on psychological safety, integrating more feedback mechanisms to continue making our wellbeing programs better, and introducing more resources on resilience and managing stress.”
