During the holidays, workers are likely to be focusing more on their last minute Christmas shopping and packing up to visit their in-laws rather than work. In fact, workplace website Hibob found that 70% of workers spend their work time on holiday shopping.
According to Ronnie Zehavi, CEO of Hibob, managers should find the right balance with their employees as nearly half feel the burden of picking up extra work while colleagues squeeze in end-of-the-year vacations.
“Employees are very likely to judge a company’s culture based on how leadership approaches this season, which gives managers and HR teams an opportunity to shine,” said Zehavi. “Embrace flexibility and acknowledge that your team has other things on their mind, so be realistic with your goals and plan ahead to ensure no one individual feels they have to take on the burden of the holidays.”
Flexible schedules are key to letting workers know their personal time during the holidays is valued. In fact, the study found that one in ten people felt that they take advantage of flexible schedules during the holidays.
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If you’re traveling during the holidays and plan on working remotely, experts suggest a few tips to make things run smoothly such as downloading files for offline using and charging your devices.
Additionally, while the holidays usually means downtime, many workers continue to check their work-related emails. Data shows that most workers disconnect on the actual holiday, while the days prior experience high usage.
