Leading with a festive mood

How to get your team through the stressful season

1. show understanding

To support teams through this stressful time of year, empathy is key. Just as managers are undoubtedly under a great deal of stress, many team members face not only work commitments but also numerous personal challenges during this period. Buying gifts, planning family visits, taking care of children—all of this takes time and energy. However, an empathetic manager can help ensure that work-related stress is kept to a minimum.

• Show understanding: In order to understand the needs of individual team members and be better able to respond to them, managers should take the time to talk to the team about the current stresses and strains. This enables them to respond accordingly and support the team.
• Offer flexibility: Time is usually very tight in the run-up to the new year. Where possible, flexible working hours or home office arrangements can therefore help to reconcile private and professional commitments. An afternoon off to buy presents or working from home to avoid a long commute can help reduce stress.
• Identifying Stress Points: Especially when many tasks need to be completed before the end of the year, many managers tend to assign them to their most resilient employees. However, this can result in individual team members having to handle an unusually large number of tasks. Therefore, it’s important to identify bottlenecks and distribute tasks fairly.

2. set priorities

Priorities are crucial in the run-up to Christmas. An overloaded task list only leads to excessive demands and frustration if you believe that you have to finish all tasks this year or before the holidays. Together with your team, focus on the goals that are still really important at the end of the year.

• "Does it really have to be this year?": Ask this question for every task in order to set sensible priorities. Postpone everything that doesn't have to be done by the end of the year until January. This will make this stressful time easier for you and your employees.
• One thing at a time: Work with clear priority lists. This allows the team to focus on one task at a time without losing track.
• Celebrate small successes: Set intermediate goals and acknowledge when you achieve them. A small success is often more motivating than the prospect of the big finish.

3. adapt communication

Good communication is particularly important in hectic times, but this is precisely when it is often foregone in order to save time. However, misunderstandings and uncertainty due to a lack of communication quickly lead to additional moments of stress and may cost more time than good communication.

• Formulate clear expectations: Especially if something is urgent or there are many tasks to be done, you should clearly communicate which tasks and which results are expected by when.
• Give feedback: Give positive feedback where appropriate. A little praise can work wonders in these stressful times. If mistakes happen, it also helps to point them out early on to prevent your team from going in the wrong direction.
• Be approachable: Make sure your team members know they can come to you at any time with questions or problems. Especially if your team knows that you, too, are under stress, they may be reluctant to burden you with additional difficulties. However, this can lead to bigger problems and more stress.

4. lift the mood

A little Christmas cheer in the workplace can also work wonders to alleviate stress. Small gestures and a relaxed atmosphere can increase productivity by reducing the pressure.

• Christmas decorations: A little Christmas decoration creates a warm atmosphere, but may not be everyone's cup of tea - especially if not everyone in the team celebrates Christmas. Therefore, talk to your team in advance about how the decorations can be designed appropriately.
• Joint activities: Organize an Advent breakfast, Secret Santa or invite your team to a small Christmas party. These activities strengthen team spirit.
• Music: A subtle Christmas playlist in the background can lift the mood. However, ask everyone beforehand if this is what they want. Individual team members may feel disturbed by the music while they are completing their tasks.

5. putting people at the center

The pre-Christmas period is also a good opportunity to get to know the people behind the work roles better. It's worth investing in the relationship with your team in the long term.

• Show interest: Ask your team members about their plans for the holidays or personal goals for the new year. The Christmas party or Advent breakfast is a good opportunity for this. But you can also use such questions as the start of a team meeting. Be aware, however, that not everyone likes to talk about private matters.
• Express gratitude: Take the opportunity to thank your team for their hard work over the past year. A personal thank you, whether verbally, with a pay rise or simply with a small gift, shows appreciation.
• Flexibility on holidays: Not everyone celebrates Christmas in the same way. Take cultural and personal differences into account when planning vacations. For example, there may be members of your team who like to work over the holidays but would like to take time off at another time of the year, while parents often have to take time off between the vacations due to school vacations.

6. promote stress reduction

When stress levels rise, lunch breaks are often canceled and overtime is added on. But it is precisely at this time, when it gets dark early in the evening and a lot still needs to be done, that teams need the opportunity to take a deep breath and recharge their batteries.

• Joint coffee breaks: Invite the team to take a break together. This strengthens the team spirit and provides a short break. Minor problems can often be resolved during such a coffee break.
• Encourage movement: Going for a walk during your lunch break or doing short stretching exercises in the office can help to reduce stress. Alternatively, you can also hold meetings in motion and walk around the block during the meeting, for example. This clears your mind and helps you stay focused for the rest of the day.
• Use humor: A little laughter can work wonders. A humorous look back at the events of the past year or a funny story can briefly distract you from stress.

7. Look at the big picture

When stress gets out of hand, it often helps to change your perspective. The pre-Christmas period is not only hectic, but also a time for reflection. Use this opportunity to help your team focus on the essentials.

• Reflect on successes: Review the year together. What did the team achieve? What challenges were overcome?
• Set goals for the new year: Give the team a preview of upcoming projects or challenges. A positive outlook can be very motivating.
• Motivational messages: Share inspiring words, quotes or stories to spur the team on again at the end of the year.

8. leading by example

As a manager, it is important to take care of your own health and balance. If you remain relaxed and motivated as a role model, this will be transferred to your team. Conversely, if you let your team feel your own stress, your team will also feel stressed.

• Set aside time for yourself: In this blog post, we share many tips on how you can help your team reduce stress. However, if you’re under a lot of pressure yourself, all these tips will take up your time and may actually cause you even more stress. So be sure to treat yourself to short breaks to recharge your energy.
• Delegate: Trust your team and delegate tasks that don't necessarily require your attention. However, be careful not to overburden your employees.
• Show openness: Admit when you, too, are feeling stressed—this fosters authenticity, strengthens your connection with the team, and promotes mutual understanding. It’s also a great opportunity to share tips on managing stress, which in turn can help both you and your team.

Conclusion

The run-up to Christmas is undoubtedly a stressful time, but it also offers an opportunity for your team to grow closer together. With empathy, clear communication, and a dash of holiday cheer, you can ensure that your team not only stays productive but also approaches their work with joy. Use this time to strengthen relationships, celebrate successes, and lay a positive foundation for the coming year. And don’t forget: Even managers are allowed to take a breather and enjoy the magic of the holiday season!

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