How to motivate your team over Christmas

It’s well known that December is the least productive month of the year for workers. But research has shown it is also the most stressful time of the year. 

The good news is that galvanising your team over the festive period might be easier than you think. Here’s seven ways to motivate your team over the festive period:

Get into the festive spirit

Don’t be a Scrooge. Get into the festive spirit by holding your own Christmas Jumper Day, or decorate your virtual office with a festive Zoom background. Arrange a (digital) Secret Santa, or host an online Christmas party.

If the thought of a Christmas quiz leaves you feeling underwhelmed, why not attend a digital carol concert. Or go all out and host a virtual away day for your team.

Remember to give everyone in your team enough notice for parties taking place during the workday. This will enable everyone to participate without feeling anxious about unfinished tasks.

Don’t make it mandatory

Forced fun isn’t fun for everyone. According to Sodexo, almost a quarter of employees (23%) feel pressured to join in with ‘fun’ festivities. And in this era of virtual burn-out and Zoom fatigue, mandatory Christmas activities can really pile on the pressure.

Festive celebrations are not a requirement by any means. Whether it’s for religious or personal reasons, there will be members of your team who just don’t want to engage with the fun – so don’t force them to.

Instead of a silent expectation that everyone should attend the ‘virtual Christmas quiz’, offer team members a choice. Alternative methods for recognising employees can include giving a gift, or formally recognising each employee for their individual contribution.

Embrace flexible working

The run up to Christmas, whether you’re on the front line, or working from home, has always been a stressful time for workers. There’s pressure at work to get all the necessary tasks complete before the holiday period, and pressure at home to prepare for the Christmas festivities.

Hybrid working has many benefits, including lower operating costs, lower facility costs, and better staff retention. Not to mention, the opportunity for your team to spend more time with their families over the holiday.

Relax the rules

In the office, relaxing the rules might mean allowing employees to accept their deliveries at work, or enjoying a Christmas drink at the end of the day. But between new restrictions and work from home guidance, ‘relaxing the rules’ might have to take a different approach. 

Allowing staff to start earlier in exchange for an early finish, or a longer lunch to do some Christmas shopping can do wonders by combatting stress and promoting productivity.

Offer an incentive

Incentives are a great way to motivate your team. And the right incentive can not only boost productivity, but can improve morale, and help team members feel appreciated and valued.

e-Vouchers, gift cards, and pre-paid debit cards can make an ideal reward or gift for employees at the end of the year. One4all offer a range of e-gift, mobile, and digital gift cards for a huge range of high-street and online retailers.

Alternatively, creating an online advent calendar is a fun way to excite and motivate your team – every day of December. Gifts and treats could include sweets, vouchers, or even an early finish.

Host a festive fundraiser

Christmas is the season for giving. And a fun Christmas campaign that gets the whole team involved can really boost morale. Host a games tournament or inspire some friendly competition with an online auction. 

Check out our top ten virtual fundraising event ideas for charities.

Keep up with mental health support

Mental health is incredibly important, particularly at Christmas. And among all the merriment, it can be easy to forget that the holiday period can bring new challenges to lots of people.

Do everything you can to continue to protecting the mental health of your team. Be sure to check-in with staff and make full use of all available resources, such as toolkits for frontline workers.