The twelve office blunders of Christmas
I’m a huge fan of the Christmas season. But as we jingle our way through Christmas parties and holiday preparation, it’s important to keep certain principles in mind. But for some reason, Christmas seems to bring out something strange in the office.
Here are 12 common seasonal slip-ups to avoid this year.
Noisy desk decorations. It’s nice when people take the time to spruce up their cubicles and take part in the Christmas season. It’s not so nice if everything someone walks past you Mrs. Claus bellows a “ho-ho-ho…..Merrrrrry Christmas”. Avoid any kind of animated or noise-inducing Christmas decoration.
Scrimping like Scrooge. Most companies pick this time of year to team up with a local charity or non-for-profit. If you haven’t done something like this, consider a last minute change of heart. Employees expect it, and it’s the time of year most people donate a little more.
Too many parties. A little Christmas cheer is nice. A little too much is torture. If you’re seeing events for each team, then each department, then for the company as a whole, it might be too much. It’s quality, not quantity.
Sexy Santa. I have been flabbergasted to see her appearance at more than one office Christmas party. Just don’t go there—EVER.
Let employees leave early. If Christmas Eve falls during the week (as it does this year) have a heart and let people leave mid-afternoon. It’s Christmas Eve—is there anything that cannot wait for a couple of days?
Don’t assume nobody is working. So many people take vacation days during that stretch between Christmas and New years that some managers are inclined to see the entire period as a write-off. Not true. I get some of my best work done during those quiet Christmas hours in the office. Acknowledge those that are working hard during the holidays.
Sleeping with your employees. Work Christmas parties are notorious for canoodling colleagues. One recent survey found that 62 per cent of staff admitted that they had kissed a co-worker and 31 per cent admitted that they have slept with a co-worker at the Christmas party. Shocking as this is, it is infinitely worse if you are a manager.
Junk food overload. Sometimes it’s hard to avoid the piles of gift baskets that start to accumulate around the office. Keep in mind that it’s a pretty well-documented fact that excessive amounts of sugary sweets cause blood sugar to dip—and productivity to plummet.
Excessive gifting. Don’t be that person that makes everyone else feel awkward with their extravagant gifts. Small, “it’s-the-thought-that-counts” items are the way to go for work. The exception is company-purchased presents that department heads sometimes get for their teams; employees appreciate those.
Christmas bonuses. Want to truly spread some Christmas cheer? Give a Christmas bonus. A recent study found 73% of employees of employees prefer a holiday bonus over any other season perk (such as paid time off or a holiday party), as we mentioned in this previous Workopolis article.
Being the Grinch. There’s always that one miserable person that never cracks a smile the entire Christmas season. Promise yourself that you won’t be that person. It’s especially important for the people who work for you, and starts the New Year with a positive energy.
Category: Life @ work
