It may be “the most wonderful time of the year,” full of joy and excitement as we gather with friends and family. However, it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year, especially for overworked employees.
From juggling demanding work deadlines to experiencing immense financial stress from holiday shopping, emotions can run high around the holidays, impacting your employees’ mental health. In fact, nearly 90% of U.S. working adults currently stress the most over the holidays, according to the American Psychological Association.
And to make matters worse, seasonal depression can add another layer of distress to employees as the days get shorter.
But you don’t have to let the holiday blues impact your workers or your organization. Read on to learn how you can help your employees manage heavy feelings over the holidays while also improving your office morale.
Before we dive into tips for helping employees navigate holiday stress, it’s important to understand some of the common causes, symptoms, and signs that are most noticeable in employees around the holidays.
While the causes of holiday stress are often apparent—increased workloads, family gathering obligations, financial strain from holiday shopping, etc.—the holiday blues aren’t always as noticeable. The latter often manifests in feelings of sadness or isolation and can be caused by elevated stress, loneliness, or in some cases, seasonal affective disorder.
While stress and other mental health conditions can creep up on employees at any time of the year, employers have a responsibility to look out for increased anxiety towards the end of the year. The repercussions not only manifest in individual morale and work performance, but also in the success of teams and organizations as a whole.
To help prevent stress levels from rising, here are a few signs to watch out for in employees:
Help your employees manage their holiday stress by taking a holistic approach to workplace wellness. Discover what a wellness program can do for your organization by talking to one of our experts today.