Christmas is here… almost, trees are going up and the cold weather has most definitely arrived. This time of year can be difficult to get employees focused, which is why we recommend to embrace the Christmas season and create a festive environment that can lead to a lot more employee satisfaction. Whilst many employers don’t recognize the added value of investing in Christmas at the workplace, we see a great opportunity to strengthen relationships in your team and build the loyalty of your employees. Read below our 5 best tips on how to benefit from embracing the Christmas spirit.

1. Christmas decorations – Employees won’t be able to feel the Christmas spirit unless they can see it. This doesn’t need to be expensive as it can be as simple as making some snowflakes, just make sure everyone feels involved. Who doesn’t love to decorate the office as a team?
2. Christmas party – Christmas party must seem obvious, however, 35% of employees say that their employer doesn’t do anything special for Christmas. We recommend making this your priority in December as we know that something as simple as a Christmas party can have a significant impact on employees’ retention level. It's crucial for the programme of activity to be welcomed by the team as, after all, this party is to celebrate them and their achievements.
3. Christmas jumper day – If you are looking to not only celebrate Christmas but to also host a charity event then, why not host a work Christmas jumper day? This will create festive joy as well as the satisfaction that both the business and the employees are doing their part for charity at this time of year. Plus, this is a great way to show that you as a business and an employer care about your community.
4. Early leave at Christmas – Although this isn’t appropriate for all businesses, giving employees an early Christmas leave can be beneficial. It may seem like a very simple gesture, but it gives employees a good work-life balance. Letting employees finish up after they have completed everything they need to do for the year, also gives them a sense of accomplishment.
5. Christmas cards – Something as small as a Christmas card can show your employees that you really do care about them. Many companies no longer do this due to sometimes the cheesiness of it or other times the environmental factors. To dodge both of these factors we suggest an Ecard, send your best wishes over an email then you are still getting the point across without having to face those controversial issues.