🎄 How to motivate employees before the holidays: 10 best ideas 🎁

It's that time of year when many workers are getting ready to head off for the holidays, so it's important to keep them motivated even during this pre-holiday time. Here are 10 things to think about to make that happen.

Methods of motivating employees of the enterprise

Flexible schedule

Introducing a flexible schedule is a simple and effective way for an employer to motivate employees. Personnel who have already achieved the goals that should have been completed by the end of the year will appreciate the opportunity to work in the comfort of their own home, away from the hustle and bustle of the office. This schedule is especially useful for employees with children: at the end of the year, festive events are often held in kindergartens and schools, to which parents are invited, so they cannot be missed. Thus, employees will plan their work in such a way as to be on time for everything.

Support for families

Flexible working hours are just one of many forms of support for working parents who are forced to spend more time on holiday commitments. Off-site events for children or organizing a holiday at school will help ease the parents' burden. Some companies buy “sweet” gifts for employees' children in advance, and such care does not leave employees indifferent.

Sports clubs

Sports clubs are effective in both motivating employees and helping them stay healthy. Some large companies even create sports leagues for employees to compete in, which is a great way to build team spirit. A smaller company can support this by negotiating with a gym to offer a discount to its employees.

Interest clubs

Sports activities are not for everyone, so organizing clubs based on interests will suit most employees. Foreign companies, inspired by the popular TV series “Glee”, created clubs where those who wish can sing. Depending on interests, clubs can be dedicated to any of the following areas: – photography;

• programming;
• cooking;
• handicrafts.

Award ceremony

An awards ceremony will be an event in the work calendar that will appeal to employees. The end of the year is the best time to sum up the results, evaluate the company's performance for the current year and plan for future goals. This ceremony can be held on a company-wide scale, or for specific areas or departments.

Company Commitment Awards

Many companies organize events to recognize employees who have been with them for a long time. This can help inspire and motivate younger colleagues to continue working in the same place.

Family Health Insurance

Some workers need basic family health insurance support to focus on work. The company may contract with an insurance company that will allow the family to count on a number of free treatments at the company's expense or at a certain discount on them. This can be an important condition for workers to hold on to their jobs and be motivated.

Training and development

Training is important for young employees of the company whose ambitions require acquiring new, useful skills in work and expecting career growth in the future. Conducting seminars or courses that correspond to the specifics of the company's activities will help achieve high results.

Letters of thanks

Sending thank you letters to employees by email will be a good tradition. It may be worth sending both a letter from senior management to everyone, and personal thanks to employees whose work has been the most productive this year.. Everyone is pleased when their work is appreciated, especially when it is noticed by their immediate supervisor or the company director.

Examples of Thank You Letters

Dear Pavel Pavlovich,

I wanted to thank you for the hard work you did to get the project up and running by the end of the year. Not only did you get the job done on time, but the project was done professionally and looks fantastic. You did an amazing job and deserve the highest praise.

We are grateful that you are with us. Thank you for everything you do to help us develop.

Congratulations on reaching your commercial goal in 2017! This is a huge success.. You really put in a lot of effort to do the job. You always go one step ahead, you are a great role model. I really appreciate everything you do and your amazing work.

Material incentives

Money can rightfully be called the main method of motivation. These can be quarterly and annual bonuses, as well as bonuses for achieving certain results in work. Payments for the New Year holidays will allow employees to have a better rest, and therefore return to work in a better mood.

Remember that monetary rewards have a short-term effect, so it is better to think about non-material methods of motivation.