Senior Human Resources Manager at Vyond, delivering solutions that positively influence work environment and employee engagement.
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We’re now more than eight months into the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States, and even though it may be hard to believe, the holidays are almost here. During a typical holiday season, we’d be furiously planning Thanksgiving and holiday parties, packing into the mall on Black Friday to shop for gifts and securing plane tickets to visit faraway loved ones. But this holiday season will be anything but typical. Many of us will be trading shopping at the mall for online browsing, travel plans for staying at home and in-person holiday parties for virtual get-togethers.
As an HR leader, I’d usually be spending my fall helping to plan our annual office holiday party and other fun events to help employees get into the holiday spirit. This year, these events are out of the question as we all continue to work remotely. It begs the question, as we approach this out-of-the-ordinary holiday season, how will we “celebrate” as a team, and is “celebrate” even the right word? And how will the disruption of holiday traditions — both personal and professional — affect employee mental health?
Holiday Blues And Mental Health Concerns
Covid-19 has already had a negative impact on mental health. The Kaiser Family Foundation found in July that 53% of adults in the U.S. reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus, significantly higher than the 32% reported in March. Now, as we approach the holidays and people simultaneously grapple with isolation and loneliness, mental health may worsen. Even before “pandemic” was a regular part of our vocabulary, many people dealt with feelings of sadness during the holidays (the phenomenon even has a name, the “holiday blues,” which refers to the increasing of stress, anxiety and depression during the holiday season).
On top of that, we’re seeing workers struggle with mental health challenges. My colleagues at Vyond recently surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees on a variety of workplace topics and we found that 40% of workers are feeling disconnected from their colleagues while working remotely, with older workers struggling the most. Half of boomers reported feeling frustrated by the disconnect from colleagues, compared to 37% of millennials. We also identified trends like differing expectations about taking time off to recharge between men and women, Gen Z employees frequently working from bed and boomers judging their colleagues for having kids in the background of video calls. It’s safe to say that remote work has its own set of unique challenges, all of which can negatively impact mental health.
How HR Can Address Mental Health During The Holidays
So what can HR and leadership do about it as we approach the holidays? While we can’t plan in-person gatherings, there are steps we can take to address mental health in the workplace and bring some holiday cheer to employees virtually.
• Talk about mental health head-on.
First and foremost, it’s important for leaders to talk about mental health. That means engaging in thoughtful, intentional communication with employees about the importance of things like work-life balance, checking in on colleagues and asking for help when one needs it. One way we’ve been promoting this ethos is through video training messages, like one on how managers can encourage their reports to practice self-care.
Our survey results also showed that 45% of employees want trainings on mental health and self-care. Providing these trainings is one way to address the variety of mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic, and it shows employees that their mental health is a priority. Bring in an outside mental health expert to facilitate an open discussion, providing information and support for the different emotions employees are experiencing through the pandemic and leading into the holidays.
• Bring office traditions virtual.
In my office, we have annual traditions around the holidays like a video production contest and a large holiday gathering. Employees have already expressed how much they’ll miss them this year. That’s why I’m working with my team to re-imagine these events into virtual celebrations. We will miss the fun of having in-person events (like having a live crowd to cheer for the video showcases), but hosting the events virtually allows for new benefits like employees having access to show-and-tell items in their homes. Fun events like this not only take employees away from the stress of everyday work, but they also create an opportunity to connect with the colleagues they miss collaborating with in the office.
• Send snail mail.
A small gift or token sent to employees’ homes can make a big difference. It shows they are being thought of and can be a welcome surprise during holiday chaos. One idea is a coffee mug or tumbler with your organization’s branding, paired with hot chocolate mix or holiday candy. And when employees are busy ordering gifts online for everyone else, a surprise delivery on their doorstep is a huge mood booster.
Even though we can’t be with our colleagues in person to celebrate the season, there are still ways we can be festive together and make sure employees know that their mental health and wellness is a priority. As leaders, now is the time to proactively plan for this season that can be difficult for so many.
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