India has a multitude of colourful festivals. With each season we have a special reason to celebrate. While celebrating festivals is usually a family affair, employers can also boost employee morale by fostering employee engagement through the festive season. With Diwali just around the corner, here are 5 ways you can show your employees you care while keeping up with the festivities.
The festive season consists of a lot of planning and running errands. One way that managers can reduce employee stress is by giving them some time off during the day to take care of any errands or obligations they need to take care of. Giving your employees the option of leaving work early or a shorter working day lets them complete their preparations and gives them more time to spend with their loved ones. If this is something that your organization can work out with a few ground rules in place, then your employees will really benefit from it. For example, you could create a schedule for the month, allowing you to plan for a few employees taking early finishes each day and ensuring that this doesn’t hamper their productivity. A small gesture like this will impact your employees who will appreciate the flexibility offered and your consideration towards them.
Celebrate the festival spirit by giving back
While having office celebrations is a great way of team building within the organization, you should take this opportunity to engage on a deeper level by tapping into the essence of the festival. A festival like Diwali is all about showing appreciation towards your loves ones and family. Beyond the tried and true traditions of gift exchanges during Diwali, why not try something that your employees will really appreciate? Many a time, employees are hesitant about asking for an advance or a bonus during the festival season. You should take this opportunity to introduce them to NIRA. We offer a line of credit to employees that gives them easy access to their own pot of money. Initiatives like these are surely going to make your employees feel heeded, allowing them to fulfil their dreams as is the true spirit of the festival.
Establish office traditions
Festivals are the perfect opportunity to make traditions of your own. Employees enjoy participating in office events as it gives them a new opportunity to appreciate their workplace. While this year most Diwali celebrations will be online, you can still keep your employees engaged by creating traditions of your own. For example, have a series of contests or online games that involve not only employees but also their families. Lucky draws also make a great celebratory tradition. Given the COVID-19 crisis around the world, take this time to make the most of the festive season to boost team morale and enhance employee engagement.
Emphasize the importance of workplace wellness
Many employees may have the habit of overindulging during the festive season. After all, what is Diwali without an array of mithais and namkeens? To tackle the problem of overindulging during the festive season, create a workplace wellness program that emphasizes the importance of physical activity and mindful, healthy eating the year-round. Having such a program will help you be extra vigilant with your wellness initiatives during the festive season. You can do so by sending out weekly updates on health, fitness, and healthy eating. So, when your employees put their healthy behaviours on hold and partake in over-indulgent eating and drinking habits, those extra reminders can help them remember to slow down and be mindful about their well-being.
Honour diversity
Remember, not all employees exchange gifts and sweets on Diwali. While they might not celebrate the festival, it is a good gesture to engage employees across all communities during the festival season. To ensure that everyone feels included, keep most office celebrations secular to honour diverse beliefs. Ask other employees which festivals hold a significant place in their community and plan an office celebration or send out a celebratory greeting during these festivals. Consider offering floating holidays to meet the needs of diverse employees. After all, you want to make sure you honour and celebrate everyone. The festive season is a great time to tell your employees you care about them. Remember these tips and tailor them to your own situation and team. Don’t forget that while you take this time to show your employees your appreciation, they will enjoy a heartfelt thank you all year long. The actions you take to make your employees happy will result in grateful, engaged employees for years to come.
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