As the holiday season ramps up, employees are feeling the crush of expectations at home and at work. Our latest well-being research with The Harris Poll shows just how much pressure employees are carrying: Just 24% of employees say they’re thriving, compared with 89% of managers who believe their teams are.
That disconnect matters, especially during the holidays, when stress and competing demands are at their peak.
The data also shows that when leaders demonstrate empathy, invest in employees’ success and communicate authentically, employees are significantly more likely to feel respected, motivated and proud of the work they do.
In other words: leaders have far more influence than they may realize. During the holidays — a time when many employees feel stretched the most — meeting a few core wishes can make a meaningful impact on their well-being and engagement.
10 Employee Holiday Wishes and Tips for How Leaders Can Grant Them
Based on our research, along with 25 years of helping leaders connect more meaningfully with their teams, here are the top 10 wishes employees have for their leaders this holiday season — and how leaders can make them a reality to prevent burnout amid holiday pressures.
1. Show humanity first
Employees want leaders who lead with heart. The holidays amplify personal and professional stress, making humanity even more essential. Take time to check in, acknowledge challenges and let employees see the person behind the title. Heart First leadership is about empathy, authenticity and real connection. It starts with being human.
2. Be transparent and eliminate the fluff
Employees are asking for more clarity and less spin. They want to know what’s happening and why without jargon or delay. Communicating early, even when you don’t have all the answers, builds trust and reduces anxiety at a time of year when uncertainty often rises.
3. Listen more than you talk
Employees crave real dialogue, and our research shows many don’t feel managers understand the burnout they’re experiencing. Ask open-ended questions, paraphrase what you hear, and create space for employees to express how they’re really doing.
Active listening is a leadership action with outsized impact.
4. Lead with empathy
Whether employees are navigating personal challenges, year-end pressures or broader societal stressors, empathy matters. Pausing to understand how they’re feeling, or better yet asking directly, helps employees feel seen and valued.
Empathy is one of the most important drivers of thriving cultures.
5. Prioritize employee well-being
Well-being isn’t a “nice-to-have” — it’s a fundamental leadership responsibility. Our research shows employees want leaders who invest in their success and help them manage burnout.
Regular check-ins, acknowledging workload realities, and pointing employees to available resources all contribute to healthier, more engaged teams.
6. Offer flexibility whenever possible
At the top of many wish lists this year: flexibility. Whether that means adjusted hours, remote options or simply more autonomy, flexibility signals trust and helps employees balance the demands of the season.
Even small concessions can go a long way in reducing stress and increasing engagement.
7. Take action on their ideas
When employees share suggestions, they’re offering insight into what would help them succeed. Closing the loop, whether implementing an idea or explaining why something can’t move forward, demonstrates respect and reinforces that their perspective matters.
That recognition alone can inspire future input.
8. Recognize and appreciate them sincerely and specifically
A simple “thank you” goes further than most leaders realize. Recognition doesn’t need to be grand to be meaningful; it needs to be sincere, timely and specific. Call out the behaviors you want to reinforce. Celebrate progress.
For some, being appreciated at the holidays matters even more than at any other time of year.
9. Give thoughtful, timely feedback
Employees want clarity on how they’re doing and how to grow. Providing both reinforcing and developmental feedback, in the moment rather than months later, helps employees feel supported and confident.
Effective feedback is a form of care, and during the busiest time of the year, it can be grounding.
10. Clarify expectations for the season and the year ahead
Many performance issues stem from misaligned expectations. Use this time to reset priorities, clarify what “great” looks like and align on what can reasonably be accomplished. Just as important: clarify what employees can expect from you.
When expectations are clear, employees can rise to meet them.
A Season for Reflection, Clarity and Renewal
The holiday season is a natural moment to pause and reflect. As one year closes and another begins, leaders have an opportunity to step back and look closely at how their teams are feeling, what they need to thrive and how to show up with even greater intention in the year ahead.
When leaders lead with heart, listen generously and communicate with honesty, employees feel more respected, motivated and connected to the purpose of the organization.
Granting these 10 wishes doesn’t require sweeping change. It requires presence, empathy and a commitment to truly seeing your people.
When leaders show up that way, employees don’t just feel better, they thrive. And thriving employees fuel thriving organizations as you head into a new year with renewed focus and momentum.
