It’s nearly the end of the year. Projects are winding down, people are making holiday plans. So why do all your staff seem so stressed?!
The Christmas holidays are a time we look forward to all year long. It’s the weeks (or months, if we’re lucky) where we get to see family and friends, get a bit of time off, and relax those diets a bit. It’s a time of generosity, celebrating, and reflecting on what’s most important. Unfortunately, someone has to plan, order, buy and distribute all that ‘generosity’. Whether it’s the latest must-have toys for the kids, Christmas ham for four generations of extended family, or a cheeky tipple for Christmas Eve.
It’s not just all the shopping lists either. In fact, more Aussies than ever are choosing to skip the crowded mega-malls in favour of shopping online. After all, you can order gifts online any time, it’s easier to compare prices and options with a few clicks, and you don’t even have to put on pants. No, what really gets people down around this time is the sheer volume of stuff to do.
It starts with the work Christmas parties. Then there’s the carols nights and school concerts.
They even do year level graduations these days… For the littlies, you’ve gotta go in to the city to see Santa and the Christmas windows. Then family members start arriving from out of town, and before you know it, it’s time to start cooking and decorating – if you haven’t already. Oh – and don’t forget those last-minute surprises and deadlines that pop up at work. Because holiday shutdown periods rarely go to plan.
Add all this together and it’s easy to see why staff are a little worn out at the end of the year. Despite all the stress-reduction initiatives in your wellbeing program. What’s more, all these Christmas bits and bobs cost money to some degree. Even if you skip a new special Chrissie outfit, DIY decorations, and set strict Secret Santa budgets, you still end up shelling out a fair bit. The stress lasts in to the new working year too; it takes a while to catch up on sleep and pay off those purchases.
Beyond finding cash for Christmas bonuses, it can be hard to think of what to do to alleviate the stress.
The good news is there’s something you can do. It’s cost effective, it’s quick to roll out, and you can organise it online. It’s a great way to round out your wellbeing program, minus a lot of the scheduling and resourcing issues that may be stressing you out!
Financial education gives people the tools to plan, budget, and answer those ‘what if?’ questions about holiday spending. Responsive, flexible, accessible online financial education is the perfect just-in-time solution for this busy period. By reducing uncertainty and fear around financial decision-making, you can improve your staff members’ confidence and capability. You’ll see the difference when they get back to work (ask for a copy of our business case and ROI analysis for details). Take some time this December to start a conversation with Money101 about how we can add to your wellbeing program. Because financial education isn’t just essential at Christmas. It’s a gift that keeps giving all year long.
Merry Christmas!
