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Front employees work hard all year long, but the holiday season can be an exceptionally challenging time for them.
While office employees often enjoy a more casual atmosphere as work slows down for the holidays, frontline workers can be overwhelmed with stressed-out, impatient, and sometimes unforgiving customers.
Encouraging frontline employees to show up for work and maintain a positive attitude during such a hectic time of year requires extra diligence from your HR and management team.
Of course, employee engagement is always essential, but the holidays are an excellent time to be more intentional about it. Your frontline workers need you to be their biggest champion.
However, coming up with Christmas and New Year messages that resonate with frontline workers can be difficult.
The following ideas will inspire you to send the right holiday messages to your employees during this special time of year. Let them know you care!
Show Gratitude to Frontline Employees
It’s always a good time to show gratitude, but the end of the year invokes that special holiday spirit.
Rather than email an impersonal company newsletter or count on a social media post to reach all your staff, consider sending a video message instead.
Video is a great way to let your guard down, show some personality, and convey how much you appreciate the passion and dedication of each team member.
Use goHappy to send a personalized message directly to each employee. You can send one video text message to your entire team or create a special message for each department or location, thanks to easy segmentation.
goHappy’s texting tool is the perfect solution to sending holiday messages to your employees.
Offer a Token of Appreciation
Another way to boost holiday engagement is to give each employee a small gift.
Not every company can give out $300 per employee like Amazon did in 2020, but there are other ways to consider rewarding your employees.
You could give them $50 or $100 and encourage them to spend it on themselves and take a picture of their purchase to share with the team or on social channels.
If you’re in retail, offer a one-time discount that goes above and beyond what you usually offer employees on products.
A contest with a handful of winners receiving two free plane tickets or a cash prize would certainly increase employee engagement.
Lastly, if they’ve put in extra hours leading up to the holidays, finding a way to give them some paid time off in the New Year would show them you care.
The important thing is to be creative and match the gift with the size of your company.
Be Inclusive by Considering Diverse Traditions
It’s easy to get caught up in the spirit of Christmas and forget that not everyone in your company celebrates the Christmas season
Be mindful that while the holidays are a time for organizations and their team members to celebrate, there are diverse traditions in December. Some employees may celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, while others may not observe any of the holidays.
Always lead with empathy and offer extra flexibility so those who celebrate holidays that don’t land on the traditional days off can celebrate with friends and family.
Publicly Recognize Employees Throughout the Holidays
Frontline employees who work in public spaces put themselves at risk simply by showing up for work. Show your appreciation to individual employees or entire teams by publicly thanking them for a job well done.
Give a shout-out to the retail salesperson with the highest daily sales in December, the store with the highest sales or the most festive window display, or the team with the best customer feedback.
Text all your employees using goHappy’s frontline messaging tool, goAlerts. It’s a simple-to-use tool that allows you to reach all your team members with the push of a button.
Improve frontline employee engagement during the holidays and beyond by sending text messages that make them feel supported and part of a team.
Encourage Frontline Employee Feedback
The end of the year is an excellent time to find out how engaged frontline employees are.
Sending out a simple survey that workers can complete on their mobile devices gives employees a chance to feel heard, enhancing engagement.
You can ask about company-related items, such as how they feel about their managers or the company culture related to inclusivity, benefits, and community.
Leading up to the holidays, request something more seasonal, like their favorite Christmas memory to be shared in a company video or entered into a contest.
You could even use goHappy’s Frontline Feedback tool to solicit favorite recipes from employees and turn them into an online company cookbook.
Boost Employee Engagement by Giving Them What They Want
It’s easy to send the same boring message year after year, thanking your frontline employees for all their hard work and dedication to your organization. And maybe you even throw in the obligatory Starbucks Gift Card.
But is that what your frontline workers really want? Is it authentic, or does it wreak of corporate obligation?
Why not ask your employees what would make them feel appreciated for another great year?
It’s easy to gather Frontline Feedback with goHappy’s Feedback Module. Send a text message to each employee’s mobile phone and immediately get the information you need to ensure you give your employees what they want.
Engaged employees are happy employees who feel valued as individuals with emotional needs. Don’t assume you know best when it’s just as easy to ask them!
Happy Holidays from goHappy
You can recognize and show appreciation for your frontline workers in many ways. Whichever way you choose, remember to always be authentic and genuine.
Happy holidays to all who celebrate from the goHappy work family to yours.
