Christmas bonuses may be a thing of the past for many of us, as businesses look for more creative (and financially astute) ways of saying ‘thank you’ to show their appreciation for their people. The Christmas hamper filled with bottles, jars and nibbly treats may be still a favourite for many businesses but is that what today’s workforce really want.
As we near the end of 2024, the number of employees off due to long term stress is rising. We hear all the time that as staff retire or move on, many posts are absorbed into existing roles of those still committed to stay, whether they are happy about it or not.
Customer demands are now at their highest, with them expecting much more from an overworked team, and for less money. The 2024 Mental Health UK report suggests that the rate of the burn-out is its highest, with 91% of adults experiencing high or extreme stress. And according to the Office for National Statistics, happiness or levels of satisfaction levels have fallen this year. Very little to be cheerful about.
Traditionally Christmas was the time to officially ‘reward and recognise’ the team with treats of cash behind the bar at the Christmas lunch, or bubbly and chocolates on the desk – but for many of us, these employer gifts of generosity can feel out of date. If businesses took the time to ask their staff, many would be surprised of the desire for a gift of appreciation that was more meaningful and more personal to them.
We hear all the time about the need to eat 5 a day (actually it’s now 30 in a week!), stay hydrated, exercise regularly, get out in nature – in other words – advice about our physical and mental wellbeing.
So, shouldn’t businesses echo these wellbeing messages in their Christmas ‘thank you’?
What if this year HR and leadership teams instead gave their teams opportunities to build up their mental fitness, help them improve their confidence as a leader, feel excited about the year ahead, more empowered to make decisions, feel better connected and supported by their teammates?
Here at Kapow Coaching, we’ve had over 22 years of putting individuals, teams and organisations first in wellbeing, leadership resilience and in effective communication. Having worked not only as trainers, coaches and consultants for a wide range of global organisations, we’ve seen the difference that true appreciation can have on the motivation, sense of being valued and belonging can have.
So this year, instead of a hamper, what if you give them a pamper?