Managing Workplace Pressure Before Christmas

Managing Workplace Pressure Before Christmas

With the fast-approaching countdown to Christmas, many of us feel the increasing intensity of deadlines, expectations, and the looming end-of-year targets. While Christmas should be a time of celebration and winding down, the reality for many organisations is quite the opposite. The pre-Christmas period can be one of the most stressful times of the year for employees and teams.

I recently conducted a survey across various workplaces throughout New Zealand to understand this pressure more clearly. The results were both revealing and concerning. Half of the respondents indicated that their teams experience “very high” or “extremely high” pressure in the lead-up to Christmas. When we dive into what this looks like on a behavioural level, it’s clear that this period takes a toll on people’s wellbeing and performance.

The Pressure on People: What Does It Look Like?

As a business leader, I’m sure you already know how crucial it is to recognise the signs of stress in your teams, especially during high-pressure periods. The most common behaviours reported in my survey included:

  • Fatigue: The end of the year often comes with exhaustion from a long, demanding year. Many employees show up for work physically but aren’t fully present mentally.
  • Difficulty expressing their needs: When stress mounts, it becomes harder for people to communicate openly and clearly. They might not voice their concerns or ask for help when they need it most.
  • Difficulty making clear decisions: The pressure to meet deadlines and expectations can cloud judgment, making it harder to make decisive choices.
  • Presenteeism: This is where employees are physically at work but not highly productive. They may appear busy but aren’t contributing meaningfully, often because they’re too drained to be at their best.
  • Aggressive or passive-aggressive communication: Under pressure, the ability to communicate calmly and respectfully can break down. This can lead to tensions in the team and a communication style that’s either too confrontational or too withdrawn.

What’s Driving This Pressure?

From the survey, three key factors stood out as the main contributors to the heightened stress in the pre-Christmas period:

Deadlines (real and perceived): Many employees feel the need to wrap up projects before Christmas, even if the deadline isn’t necessarily imminent. The perception of time running out creates a sense of urgency and stress.

Meeting targets and KPIs: The end of the year is often when performance reviews are conducted, and the pressure to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) or targets peaks. Employees can feel the weight of these expectations, especially if they’re already stretched thin.

Managing client expectations: In client-facing roles, there’s often additional pressure to deliver before Christmas or to meet heightened expectations. Clients, too, are often under pressure to complete their goals before the holidays, which can add another layer of stress for employees trying to meet these demands.

How Can Business Leaders Help?

It’s clear that many employees are under more pressure than usual during this time, but there are ways to support them. By focusing on communication and creating a supportive environment, you can help your team navigate this period with calm, clarity, and compassion. Here are three top tips:

Encourage Open Communication and Set Realistic Expectations
Communication is key when stress levels are high. Create a culture where employees feel safe to express their concerns, needs, and challenges without fear of judgment or repercussion. One of the reasons people struggle with communicating under pressure is the fear of being seen as weak or incapable.

Encourage regular check-ins and make it clear that it’s okay to ask for help or adjust priorities. This is especially important in the pre-Christmas period, where deadlines and workloads can pile up quickly. Let your team know it’s fine to push back on deadlines if needed, and ensure everyone understands that some projects can wait until the new year.

Tip: Create a shared list of “essential” vs “non-essential” tasks for the pre-Christmas period. This helps to prioritise and reduce unnecessary pressure.

Model Calm and Clarity in Your Own Communication
Leaders set the tone. If you’re stressed, overwhelmed, and rushing through conversations, your team will pick up on it and reflect that behaviour. Model the calm, clear communication you want to see from your team.

When giving instructions or discussing deadlines, be as clear and concise as possible. Avoid piling on too many tasks or expectations in a single conversation, as this can overwhelm your employees. Break things down into manageable chunks and give people the space to ask questions or raise concerns.

Tip: When tensions are high, take a moment before responding to emails or jumping into meetings. A calm leader helps to create a calm environment.

Support Wellbeing with Compassionate Flexibility
A little flexibility can go a long way. If you notice that your team is running on fumes, offer the option for flexible hours or remote working, even if it’s just for the final weeks of the year. This can give employees the breathing room they need to recharge and come back to work refreshed, rather than burning out just before the holidays.

In addition, remind your team to take regular breaks throughout the day. Short breaks can help to reset the mind, making it easier for employees to refocus and approach tasks with more energy and a clearer head.

Tip: Introduce a “breathing room” policy for the month of December, where meetings are kept to a minimum, and employees are encouraged to take breaks between tasks.

Looking Ahead

The pre-Christmas period will always come with its challenges, but by focusing on communication and creating a supportive, compassionate environment, business leaders can help their teams manage stress more effectively. Your people are your most valuable asset, and their wellbeing should be a priority all year round, but especially in times of heightened pressure.

Take the time to check in with your team, offer support where needed, and model the calm and clarity you want to see in the workplace. Not only will this help to reduce stress in the short term, but it will also lead to a more peaceful, positive, and productive environment as the new year approaches.

 

If you want to support your team to communicate with calm, clarity and compassion in the lead up to Christmas, I highly recommended my Calm Into Christmas interactive workshop for your people – available online and in-person. Click here for more information.

Carley Nicholson
[email protected]