How to Reduce Holiday Stress for Working Parents
Help Working Parents Feel Less Stressed During the Holidays
The concern by employers about their employees’ well-being is increasing, especially as we go into the holiday season. The holidays can be a joyful time for some, but they can also be rife with stress, anxiety and depression for others. This article will share 5 ways to reduce working parents’ stress around the holidays.
Between school performances, band concerts, holiday parties, hosting, traveling, endless amounts of gifts to buy, and that darn elf; parents have a lot on their plate at home during the holidays. Top that with the added stress of many workplaces being understaffed due to the talent shortage - there’s a very real chance your workforce will be full of burnt-out employees, come January. So what can employers do to reduce stress now?
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements if Possible - Many working parents will need increased flexibility or work-from-home options if possible for their role during the holidays. There are tons of family events at schools, daycares, and churches that don’t always take place outside of work hours during this season.
Encourage Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Usage - EAPs are often under-utilized but offer meaningful support to employees who are concerned with their emotional wellbeing or finding childcare. Remind employees through all relevant channels about what your EAP can help with.
Support Needed Time Off - This is the time of year that many childcares and schools are closed so working parents will most likely need to take more time off than the rest of the year. Often schools are closed for a full two weeks around the holidays. Encourage employees to request time off as early as possible to allow time to plan for staffing challenges.
Reinforce Mental Health Supports - Determine which benefits support working parents’ mental health and bring employees attention to them in an email or company announcement on your website. If you do not currently have any benefits that support employees’ wellbeing, reach out to a BenefitBump representative that can help you explore options for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of your working parent population.
Encourage Networking Group Participation - Employee resource groups that help parents balance work and home life can be very helpful when employees are struggling. These groups contain parents of children of many different ages that can give helpful advice to each other. If you do not currently have a working parent resource group, adding one in the future would be a great addition to support working parents.
Help Employees Prioritize Projects to Manage Deadlines - Encourage employees to seek work/life balance and prioritize urgent projects instead of trying to accomplish everything on their “to-do” list during this busy season. The earlier supervisors can have conversations about prioritization, the better.