We’re well and truly at the pointy end of the year. Few things in this world are certain – but Carols in the Domain, dated Mariah Carey music, and Christmas parties are stalwarts you can set your watch to.
Having young boys, I do actually love and look forward to Christmas Day. It’s one of the few times of year you can actually switch off, and put your feet up.
But before all that good stuff comes along, it seems the list of things to do – and inevitable dilemmas associated with annual close downs and the like – gets longer and more complicated each year.
Amid the end-of-year chaos there can also be the added difficulty of keeping staff motivated. Some team members are already half way to Thailand in their minds, the others are just limping along to the finish line after an incredibly busy year.
Its worthwhile taking a few minutes out of your day to come up with a battle plan so that December is just as prosperous as the New Year ahead.
Incentives: Capitalise on the festive mood. Offering an early mark on a Friday, a surprise team lunch, or a bottle of wine is almost certainly no skin off your nose, yet can work wonders for team morale. It shows that you recognise a job well done, and of course ties into my next point.
Fun: Next only to June, December is one of the most hectic months on the calendar. At the same time though, the whole reason I got into business for myself was so I would love my job, and love coming to work each day. That’s got to be true 365 days a year, not just when it’s convenient.
Purpose: Nobody ever did a job well with a gun to their head. What’s more, if staff don’t know the ‘why’ behind what they’re doing, chances are it won’t be up to scratch. If you need to meet a certain target in order to purchase something for the business, take on a new member of staff, or to beat last year’s figures by 10% – it is paramount to communicate that to your team. And that will be worth raising a glass to!
