Throughout the year, workplace experts tout the importance of a healthy, balanced lifestyle as one of the keys to happier, well-rounded and more productive employees. But once the holidays descend, it seems that all of those good intentions get pushed aside by the madness of the season.

As if people weren't already stretched thin from the shopping, the spending, the social gatherings and the household preparations, many are sacrificing their valuable weekends and leisure time to fit in more decorating, wrapping or baking. Little wonder this causes employees to come in to work feeling anxious, burned out, depressed or distracted.

Fortunately, by providing ways to limit holiday-related stress, employers can help their people maintain the work-life balance they've worked so hard to establish during the year. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management revealed what some employers are doing to help alleviate some of the pressure on their staff this season:

• 51 per cent schedule holiday events during regular business hours.
• 33 per cent show appreciation for employees who work during a holiday.
• 32 per cent encourage casual dress at the holiday party.
• 30 per cent provide complimentary food and beverages.
• 23 per cent give out year-end bonuses early to help out with gift shopping.
• 14 per cent offer reduced hours so employees can run errands.
• 8 per cent offer extra shifts to employees wanting to earn holiday spending money.

Simply by showing some sensitivity and empathy, employers can ensure that the workplace is not adding to the merry mayhem and instead, offers employees some much-needed comfort and joy during the holiday season. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Be open to offering flexible schedules and extended lunch hours. When employees put in extra time to get their work done, allow them to take time off during the day when they need to run errands or navigate shopping malls.
• Instead of only offering a paid Christmas break, consider creating floating holidays to honour all cultural and religious traditions in a diverse workplace.
• Evenings fill up fast with school, family and social commitments over the holiday season, so consider holding the office party during work hours. Keep your gathering casual, personal and simple by providing worry-free catering.
• A gift exchange can be a lot of fun, but if you sense it only adds to employees' stress levels, suggest ways to make it easier on them: set a spending maximum, limit the choice of presents to gift cards only or do away with the giving altogether with a donation to charity.
• Make it clear that attendance at holiday events are voluntary, not mandatory. No one should feel pressured to accept the invitation and there should be no repercussions if they choose not to come.
• If you have an Employee Assistance Program, remind employees that they can talk to someone about stress or depression management if they are having trouble coping with the holidays.
• Even if your company does not give out bonuses, providing a grocery store or department store gift certificate is an always-appreciated way to show your people how much their year-round contributions mean to the organization.
• "ö Cut your employees some slack. With their plates full and their schedules hectic, employees may inadvertently let a few things slip from time to time. If quality assurance is an issue, suggest instituting temporary checks and balances to make sure you continue to meet strict standards, even through the holidays.
• Many companies are open 365 days a year and need staff to work the holidays. Remember those who are giving up their family time by doing something special for them, whether it is providing thank-you treats or small tokens of appreciation.
• Remind employees about the true meaning of the season by arranging a staff field trip to help wrap gifts, pack hampers, serve meals or any other activity that builds team spirit while helping the community in a meaningful way.

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai

 John McFerran, PhD, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com.

 RESEARCH:

http://www.joanlloyd.com/HR-Issues/Balancing-workplace,-home-and-holiday-stress.aspx

http://www.simmalieberman.com/articles/holidaystress.html

http://humanresources.about.com/cs/stressmanagement/a/stressless.htm

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 19, 2009 I2