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Navigating the Festive Season: Employee Engagement Strategies

Keeping employees engaged can sometimes be a strenuous task, especially during the holiday season… but not to worry, here are a few strategies that can aid in motivating employees through the festive season.

  • Flexible scheduling:

We all know that the holiday season comes with personal commitments, therefore offering flexible schedules or remote work options can demonstrate understanding and support for your employees’ work-life balance. This flexibility allows them to manage their responsibilities while enjoying the holiday season.

  • Team building activities:

Organize holiday-themed team-building activities to promote camaraderie and boost morale. Whether it’s a virtual Secret Santa, a festive decorating contest or a potluck lunch. Not only will these activities create a sense of unity and shared celebration among your team but is also the thing to get everyone in the holiday spirit and covert a holiday ‘Grinch” or two.

  • Express gratitude:

Taking the time to express appreciation for your employees’ hard work throughout the year can make employees feel valued and recognized. A personalized note, a small token of appreciation or a heartfelt holiday message will do just the trick and go a long way.

  • Holiday Décor and Atmosphere:

Transform the workplace into a festive and welcoming space. To create an overall atmosphere that reflects the joy of the season, decorating the office or playing holiday music will do just that. A visually appealing and festive environment can positively impact the mood and energy in the workplace.

  • Encourage Time Off:

Recognize that everyone deserves a break during the holiday season and encourage employees to take the time they need to rest and recharge. This will contribute to their well-being, help in maintaining productivity and prevent burnout in the long run.

  • Share Success and Goals

Reflect on the achievements of the year and set positive expectations for the upcoming one. By sharing the success stories and discussing future goals will give employees a sense of purpose and collective accomplishment, which motivates employees to stay engaged and committed.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a workplace that not only acknowledges the holiday season but actively embraces it as an opportunity to strengthen team bonds and boost employee morale. Ultimately, a festive and supportive work environment contributes to a positive company culture that lasts beyond the holiday season.

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The 4-Day Week – Pilot

What is all the fuss about?

The Government  have been piloting a scheme to trial a 4-day working week and people have been asking me what it is all about.

Prompted by the demand for flexible working, the need to keep good people, along with the pressure to provide work-life balance and reduce overhead costs, about 70 companies and 3,300 staff have been giving the 4-day week a 6 month try out.

What it is not – is compressed hours. This is the requirement to do for example: 4 x 10-hour days instead of  5 x 8-hour days. This keeps your pay and working week the same.

The proposal is that by working smarter and more productively,  people can work 4 out of their 5 days at the usual number of hours but yet get paid for 5 days work. This is effectively a 20% pay rise based on hourly rate alone!

Clearly then there are benefits for employees. What about employers? The feedback from this pilot so far is showing that people are maintaining their productivity. Employers may be able to reduce overheads in terms of office space, heat and light. Combined with the increase in hybrid working and working from home, employers are maintaining their customer services, expanding their catchment area for talent recruitment and are able to offer more attractive overall packages to retain key people. Reducing presenteeism and filling up the time for the sake of the extra pay can prove its weight in gold to employers and employees alike.

From the trial- which is due to finish in December – about 86% of employers say they are likely to continue with this working pattern and 88% say it is working well.

However, the feedback indicates that smaller employers and businesses are struggling more to cover the hours needed to meet customer demand and deal with handovers.   Only time will tell if this trend towards the shorter working week, already popular in some other larger developed countries, will become more of a norm for the rest of us.

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Why Now?

Why would King Charles issue redundancy notices to staff at Clarence House only 5 days after the Queen has died?

Clarence House (Image by ChrisO)

As I finally tear myself away from watching the funeral proceedings of the late Queen Elizabeth, my thoughts turn this recent story in the newspapers.

In spite of the widely reported redundancy notices being given only 5 days after the Queens’s death – this is not entirely accurate. When you have a household of 100 employees, there is a requirement to have 45 days’ notice that jobs are going to be “At Risk” of redundancy. This marks the start of a period of consultation. Now is the time for the employer and the employee to look at any alternative jobs, and if there is to be a restructure, to give people a chance to see how and where they may fit in. I understand that there is a commitment to find as many people as possible alternative employment in other Royal households.

It is only after this period of consultation and after people have been fitted in to other vacancies or jobs that are available, that any remaining job holders may be issued with a formal notice of redundancy.

As King Charles will be required to move into Buckingham Palace, it is likely that things will need to change at Clarence House.  Some jobs may be transferred to Buckingham Palace, and it may be unknown what staff structure will be retained at Clarence House. This “At Risk” notice was probably issued to enable these conversations to start.

Many people felt that this was a heartless approach as the country was in a period of mourning. I do agree with this, but I also know that The King’ household will want to do everything by the book, which means giving enough time and notice to do things properly.  

A restructure, job interviews and transfers could take several months. If they waited too long to start, this process could take up until Christmas which is also not a good time to finally receive a redundancy notice.

My advice to anyone receiving an “At Risk” letter is to seek advice from their Trade Union or staff representatives and to work as closely as possible with their employer to find ways to minimise the loss of jobs and positions. Look for alternative solutions, part time working, job share, any other innovative ways of working you can think of, to minimise job losses.

Our thoughts are with the staff of Clarence House and to our new King during this very difficult time of transition.

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High Days and Holidays – Who pays when extra Public Holidays are granted?

In June 2022 we all cheered and celebrated as our dear Queen Elizabeth celebrated 70 years on the throne. An additional bank holiday was given to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.

Sadly, this September she has left us, having served us so faithfully for all those years. It is likely that the British Government may announce a day of mourning or an additional bank holiday. Many businesses will take the decision to close at other times as well in a mark of respect, and to deal with grief.

Next year- at some point- Charles III will be crowned as King, and there will be much ceremony and celebrating once again.

So, as an employer do you have to grant the additional holiday and do you have to pay your staff? As with all of these questions – the answer is …it depends…

If, as an employer, you have decided to close your business on a normal workday as a mark of respect- then yes you will be paying the staff as usual.

When the government grants an additional public holiday then we need to look at our contracts of employment to decide how we will deal with this additional holiday. Which of these circumstances fits your situation?

  1. Your contract is for 28 days holidays including bank and public holidays.
    The additional day should come from the employee’s holiday allowance. You are free to give an additional paid day off if you wish.
  2. Your contract is for 20 days Plus bank and public holidays.
    If there is an additional awarded day off – your contract means you should pay that day in addition to the usual days off.
  3. Your contract is for 20 days plus these listed 8 bank holidays (Christmas and Boxing day, New Year’s day, Good Friday and Easter Monday, Early and Late May bank holidays, Late August bank holiday).
    In this case an additional day should be awarded and paid for by the employer.

Regardless of the numbers of days involved – we hope this is helpful. If your situation is more complicated than we have outlined (above), feel free to contact us for some individual advice if you need to.

Email Helen or contact her via 02922 805 930.

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Financial Wellbeing Now Top Priority

Throughout March the CIPD had a strong voice on some key issues in the world of work. They are calling on employers to look at ways to improve the financial security of their workers as the cost-of-living continues to bite.

It is important to encourage people to want to work and to feel that working their way out of poverty is both possible and worth doing. Long hours and low wages only fuel a reliance on the state, which is an unhealthy long-term position for everyone. The increasing cost bases are hitting employers as well so thinking about employee financial security could seem like an additional burden. The minimum wage has just increased nearly 8% and supply chains are piling on increases in transport, raw materials and energy as well.

Why should employers take action?

Supporting your people to achieve a decent standard of living is an essential element of good work and responsible business. Research shows, that when we’re worried about money, our work suffers. Encouraging conversations about money worries helps people feel more confident and empowered, and more ready to face what life and work throws at them.

Businesses who pay the voluntary real Living Wage report several business benefits including improved recruitment and retention and better relations between staff and managers.

So, what can employers do? 

The most recent Employer survey from the CIPD in March 22 found the following elements to be the most important in providing financial security for employees:

  • provide a fair and liveable wage (96%)
  • support in-work progression to help people increase their earning potential (87%)
  • support financial wellbeing by offering and signposting benefits and financial education (71%).

Have a think about what can be offered to add value without adding hugely to your cost base. For example, partnering with local businesses who can offer your people an Independent Financial Planning Advice Service, or an independent household bills review is a good start. If these things can be done during the working day at your site, the convenience will be a boost to staff, there are possible savings for your people and you are also supporting your local business community.

There are plenty of options for supporting your teams and many people will have different priorities depending on their stage in life and own personal circumstances. Utilize your staff surveys or consultative groups to feedback the priorities for your own business.

At Oyster HR we always suggest that you use survey data, appraisal or supervision feedback along with your HR Dashboard performance to help shape and inform your ongoing HR Strategy. That of course means you need to be asking the right kinds of questions in the first place.

For a no obligation discussion about these or other pressing HR matters – we are happy to chat! [email protected]

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