The holiday season can be a complicated time for people. Many emerge from this period and realize they pushed themselves too hard. How can you as a leader stay mindful of that reality and provide the best support for your workforce?

Learn What People Need 

Although you can probably take an educated guess about some of the season’s biggest stressors, they don’t impact everyone with equal intensity. Someone facing the first holiday season after losing a close family member will probably have felt different pressures and challenges than one with money troubles as the primary concern.

Consider distributing an anonymous, non-invasive survey to find out how people feel about their work now that the holiday season has ended. Even if you strongly sense that many are burned out, it is important to get more details about the likely causes. Those insights will allow you to give the most appropriate and valuable support.

The key is never to assume you know what workers need. It will differ in every case, and your employees will appreciate your efforts to get their perspectives. 

Encourage Genuine Downtime 

A surprising finding in a November 2024 worker survey is that 41% of workers still check their emails every day during holiday breaks and office closures. Additionally, 23% keep sending work-related messages during those times. 

Depending on your company’s type and industry, it may not have closed during the holidays. However, regardless of employees’ titles and hours, all have off hours that should stay separate from their job obligations. Now that the holidays are behind you, explore how to make it as easy as possible for people to take some time off — or at least fully embrace their hours away from work.

Encourage workers to set up out-of-office messages and delegate colleagues who can handle urgent queries while they have time off to recuperate from the holidays. Taking those steps will help people feel like they have permission to truly leave their work concerns behind at the end of each shift and not deal with them again until they return. 

Set a good example and don’t email employees individually when you know they are not at work. Many people will see those messages arrive in their inboxes and tell themselves they’ll just take a second to respond, but ideally, they should not feel that pressure. 

Care for Physical and Mental Health

The holiday season often demands more from your employees at work, both mentally and physically. Many workers overexert themselves during this period as they strive to meet increased demands and expectations. 

This exertion can be particularly taxing for professionals in fields like manufacturing and delivery, where the rush to meet holiday targets can lead to physical strain or even injuries. For instance, manufacturers may forgo taking protective measures when working with machinery in favor of keeping up with the heightened pace of production, which in some environments can lead to injuries like eye damage or burns or other skin trauma.

As the season winds down, it’s vital for leaders to advocate for employees’ physical and mental health. Ideas include setting reminders for safety precautions, working with managers to ensure holiday targets are feasible without employees overextending themselves, and allowing for more flexible schedules in the aftermath of the holidays. Reinforce the importance of taking time to rest and recharge, acknowledging that you care for employees’ mental and physical recovery and their long-term wellbeing.

By prioritizing health and work-life balance, businesses can help employees smoothly transition out of the holiday season while reducing the risk of burnout.

Introduce New Conveniences

When people have a lot on their minds — as can happen during and after the holidays — they may forget things necessary for their workdays. One practical way to make things a bit easier is to eliminate the things workers bring from home. 

For example, many people in manufacturing plants, warehouses and other physically demanding settings wear leather work gloves. These accessories can protect them from accidents such as cuts or burns. If employees typically take them home, consider installing lockers or creating a similar arrangement that allows workers to enjoy situations where they walk into work and have everything waiting for them. It is especially important to do that if workers need to wear different-than-normal gear this time of year due to the weather your area gets. 

Alternatively, since the holidays likely had new work-related demands and stressors for your workforce, show your appreciation for their adaptability and hard work by getting catered food they can have during breaks. Then, there is no need to pack lunches for work. Try staggering its arrival or putting it out in batches to prevent situations where people check out what’s there and find everything picked over because they were not able to grab some food soon after the catering company brought it.

Teach Them Simple Stress Reducers 

Stress is inevitable, but it can feel more intense and harder to control when people feel like they pushed themselves too hard over the holidays. Show them it is easier than they think to keep stress in check. Your company’s email list is an excellent distribution method for this information. A marketing best practice is to send emails to customers at the start of the month to get the best open rates. 

You could take inspiration from that tip to get people in the habit of starting the month by learning new stress relievers they can use during the coming weeks — and the rest of their lives. 

Focus on things that people can do anywhere or easily fit into their days. For example, someone can try breathing exercises to mentally reset themselves whenever they feel overwhelmed. They can also gradually learn techniques to reframe negative thoughts that may cause anxiety or depression. 

Urge Self-Kindness and Patience

Many overexerted workers will decide to take a week off after the holidays and come back feeling disillusioned, realizing that the refreshed feeling they experienced was short-lived. Similarly, others may become frustrated with themselves, wondering why they still feel exhausted even though the holidays are over. 

The results of a 2023 survey found that 51% of Americans need weeks to recover from the holidays. That finding emphasizes how people cannot expect themselves to bounce back almost immediately from holiday stresses. 

Remind people to be kind to themselves and celebrate small victories. Help them realize that apparent setbacks are not failures but opportunities to learn and grow. It is also important that your workers know that post-holiday exhaustion is common and not an indicator of someone’s shortcomings. Help them be patient with themselves and remind them you’re available to help however possible. 

Remain Open and Responsive

Overexerted workers will be much more likely to admit they’re struggling and try your suggestions when they trust you and believe you truly care. In addition to applying these tips, be empathetic and remember that people respond differently to life’s challenges. A welcoming, receptive presence can make workers more open to sharing parts of their life with you, mentioning the details needed to provide meaningful assistance.