If your business is in the retail or hospitality sector, you may be in peak season, with everyone rushed off their feet. The average UK household spends an additional £713 extra in December, 29% up on other months according to the Bank of England. Spending on food, drink, clothes and electrical goods is all well up, which means more work for you.
Many other sectors, though, may experience a quieter time, as demand tails off. Whichever is true for you, there is a particular range of HR challenges around Christmas which you may have to deal with.
Here are seven of the most common festive HR challenges along with tips on how to avoid them, or deal with the fallout.
Secret Santa spoilers
Secret Santa is a fun way to get in the Christmas spirit, but needs to be managed carefully. From people feeling excluded to inappropriate gifts being given, there is plenty that can and does go wrong.
Whoever is organising it should ensure that everyone has an opportunity to take part, even if they do not celebrate Christmas; and equally that it is fine for them to opt out of it. It is sensible to set a budget, taking into account that money may be tight at this time of year, even if people suffer in silence. Remind people to be respectful of boundaries with their gifts; what one person considers funny may be hurtful to someone else.
Red weather warning
While red is a colour often associated with Christmas, it was also the colour of the rare weather warning this month in response to Storm Darragh. It was the fourth named storm of the season (by the Irish, UK and Dutch meteorological offices), and between them they have caused widespread disruption, damage and even loss of life.
Flooding, high winds and perhaps snow later in the year all create dangerous travel conditions, or make some routes impossible. Make clear to staff that you still expect them to attend work where it is safe/possible to do so. But have contingencies in place to manage scenarios where they cannot get in.
Unusual staffing levels
Depending on your business you may be contending with a skeleton staff, or hiring seasonal workers and dishing out overtime like confetti.
If it is really quiet you may consider a seasonal shutdown. Make sure staff have plenty of warning and can manage their annual leave accordingly.
If you are very busy, keep in mind the Working Time Regulations and its 48-hour maximum working week (unless opt outs are in place). If you have temporary staff in, they’ll still need proper contracts, adequate training, and don’t forget health and safety!
Inclusivity
Of course not everyone celebrates Christmas, and each may have their own reason – say religion, an illness or bereavement. Find out to what extent they want to be involved and give them the space they need. For example, someone may still like to come celebrate at the Christmas party but abstain from drinking alcohol. Have soft drinks on hand to accommodate this.
The Christmas party
Talking of the Christmas party… that is a whole blog’s worth of content in itself, and indeed we published this last week. You can read it here. Set expectations in advance (it is an extension of the workplace), have fun and have a “responsible adult” on the night to keep an eye on everyone’s behaviour.
Productivity and behaviour
With all the fun that comes at Christmas, it is no surprise that employees may get a little distracted – spending too much time shopping online, turning up the worse for wear after a night out or trying to pull a sickie. You have still got a business to run and you rightly expect certain levels of productivity.
There are varying degrees of misbehaviour, and hopefully most can be nipped in the bud with a quiet word. But should an employee persist, or do something that you can’t let go, your disciplinary policy will guide you in how to respond.
Client gifting
We’ve already covered Secret Santa gifting, but another type of present which can cause issues are those given by clients. While they are lovely for individuals to receive, it is important that generous gifts do not influence commercial decisions. Keeping a register and asking employees to declare any gifts over a certain value is a good starting point.
Team harmony may also be affected if one person receives a glut of gifts due to their role. In such cases, find a way to share them round so everyone feels appreciated.
Need help?
Despite all the challenges, we are sure you and your team will find plenty of opportunity to have fun this December. And if you have an HR problem you can’t deal with on your own, please get in touch.
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