How to keep your staff sane during the holiday season (and you, too)

Sure, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but the holiday season also brings with it an enormous amount of stress. Especially when you run a business. Between holiday parties and gift shopping and family get-togethers, it’s hard to find time to give your business the focus it really needs. But you find a way. You always do.

Here are a few things you can do as a business owner to help your staff, and you, stay sane during the holiday season

1. Take care of yourself

Your team is going to follow your lead. If you’re stressed, they will be to. The best thing you can do for them is to take care of yourself. Self-care is also the best gift you can give yourself, so don’t skip it.

One of the hardest things to do during the holidays is just relax. But you owe it to yourself to try. Here are some tips and things to try to help yourself de-stress over the next month.

2. Keep a manageable schedule

Yes, December is an important month for your business. You’re selling gift cards and merchandise, and trying to convince old and new clients that your business is where they want to be in 2018. But that doesn’t mean you need to pack your schedule with extra classes to entice clients. Your staff might not appreciate being expected to pick up extra classes or being asked to work on Christmas Eve.

Stay sensitive to your staff’s own holiday schedules. They also have holiday parties and gift shopping and family get-togethers that they’re thinking about, and they should have ample time to devote to them without worrying about how it’s affecting their job.

3. Show appreciation

In the midst of holiday stress, it can mean a lot for a staff member to hear that they are appreciated. Your appreciation can come in many forms, from a low-key holiday party to holiday bonuses to a small gift. What’s important is that you, the business owner, recognize the hard work that they’re putting in. Remember that they’re helping support your dream of owning a business. That’s not a small thing.

Here are a few other ways you can support your staff more generally throughout the year.  

4. Plan for 2018

This one is as much for you as it is for your staff. Once you’re back from your holiday break you need a plan. At a class-based business, January crowds can make December’s seem like nothing. And on top of that, you’re dealing with new clients motivated by gift cards and New Year’s resolutions, and there’s extra pressure to retain them beyond January 31st.

Manage January stress by preparing now. Involve your staff. When they know what’s going on, they’ll feel more in control and much less anxious about what’s coming. Here are a few tips to prepare your business for 2018.

5. Remember that you’re all in this together

You don’t just own a business, you lead a team. One way to reduce the stress of the holidays is to embrace the holiday spirit together. Decorate your space. Have a holiday happy hour. Volunteer for a charity. Just do something together with your team that doesn’t involve clients. Let them (and you!) enjoy each other’s company without worrying about work. When stress runs high, it’s important to remember that you like each other.

At Pike13, we've decorated our office with holiday lights and decorated a Christmas tree. We also keep a steady supply of holiday apparell on hand in case anyone (human or canine) is feeling festive during the day. Here's Aubrey and J.J. throwing a little holiday spirit into customer care.

The holidays are full of stress, but they’re also full of joy. Take the time to enjoy it and spread it around as much as you can. You deserve it.