Managers need to watch out for employee burnout
The words “holiday rush” often refer to the mad dash of last-minute shoppers. In the workplace, however, the season brings about a different kind of rush: some workers tend to pick up their pace during the holidays.
In a survey by staffing firm Accountemps, almost six in 10 Canadians (55%) said they accomplish more tasks during the period. However, not everybody is able to keep up.
Employees who fall behind pointed to the higher workload that gets log-jammed toward the close of the year (35%) and the personal commitments, such as family gatherings, which increase during the season (33%).
The colder weather also appears to take a toll on staff productivity as one in five workers (22%) tends to catch a cold or flu around this time. Another reason for the decreased output is workers’ pre-occupation with shopping (11%).
“The holiday season can be an incredibly demanding time as many workers rush to finalise year-end projects and check things off their lists, both personally and professionally,” said David King, president of Accountemps in Canada.
“While this push may mean greater focus in the short-term, managers need to be cognisant of the potential for employee burnout, which can affect morale moving into the new year,” he said.
Workforce managers can help lighten the workload and let staff enjoy the season by hiring additional help, consolidating multiple office events, and promoting work-life balance overall, Accountemps suggested.
