Good morning!
The tanking of employee productivity between Thanksgiving and the new year isn’t a new phenomenon. Yet, in many ways, this holiday season feels extra stressful thanks to inflation-induced high prices, workplace burnout that hasn’t lessened over the past two years, and, most recently, rising political tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.
“A lot is going on out there,” says Nicholette Leanza, a psychotherapist at LifeStance Health, who emphasizes that it’s common for clients to feel stressed during the holiday season.
“Because of the time of year, we’re seeing employees having to navigate all the stuff [with] families and holiday gatherings, and it’s adding to overall exhaustion.”
HR teams can dispense several efforts to support employees during the holidays, such as implementing policies that allow workers to unwind. For example, limiting after-hours communication or workloads for Jewish employees during Hanukkah.
The freelance marketplace TaskRabbit gives employees two separate “recharge” weeks off annually, one of which is between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The collective time off became the norm after employees reported feeling stressed from returning to a full workload while on vacation.
“These recharge weeks allow for the entire company to feel like, ‘I can actually walk away and trust that nobody else will be pinging me,’” says Jessica Davila, TaskRabbit’s vice president of people.
Employee assistance programs are of utmost importance during this period, and employers can encourage workers to use flexible spending accounts or employee discounts.
“Employers can highlight their wellness programs and discount perks, emphasizing that these resources can be used for holiday gifts and other expenses,” says Nicole Bufanio, a senior change management communications consultant at Mercer. “By turning wellness activities into gift cards or offering budgeting assistance, employers can streamline their employees’ budgets and provide tangible support.”
Paige McGlauflin
paige.mcglauflin@fortune.com
@paidion
Reporter's Notebook
The most compelling data, quotes, and insights from the field.
Employers in some industries are contending with talent shortages, yet they're overlooking individuals with criminal records. That's a talent loss for companies who often find that recruiting ex-convicts can supply them with much-needed workers.
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
- Entry-level job openings in white-collar sectors like tech and finance are sparse, leaving recent college graduates stranded. Bloomberg
- More companies are using stealth layoffs, in which they notify soon-to-be dismissed employees weeks or months in advance so they can look for jobs while still employed. Axios
- Neiman Marcus’s chief people and belonging officer says the company has no plans to take away fully remote work because it’s too advantageous for attracting and retaining workers. Business Insider
- Some employers in the U.S. are hiring telehealth providers that offer access to weight-loss drugs not covered by employer health plans like Ozempic. Reuters
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
Landing the plane. Boeing is reversing its hybrid work policy and demanding that most employees return to the office five days a week. No deadline has been set for the move, but the company is reportedly targeting a post-holiday season return. —Chris Morris
Guilt trip. Employees report feeling guilty about taking paid time off last year, but the happiest workers took off an average of 15 days. —Alexa Mikhail
Under the microscope. Companies are employing more stringent employee evaluations to distinguish between high and low performers and prune poor employees who otherwise won’t quit. —Trey Williams
This is the web version of CHRO Daily, a newsletter focusing on helping HR executives navigate the needs of the workplace. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.