Holiday Do's and Don'ts for New Managers

The holiday times can be stressful for people, particularly new managers. You need to get work done, yet you don't want to come across as a modern day Scrooge. Here are some tips to help you sail through the holiday season.

Set your expectations early - Let employees know what they can expect from you this holiday season. For example, suppose you work in the type of business where the holiday season is your busiest time of the year. Remind employees that you will need all hands on deck during this period and that you will be unable to approve requests for time off until the holidays are over.

Provide extra time for holiday shopping - Let's face it. Most of us have extended our lunch breaks by at least an hour when we've dashed to the post office to mail holiday gifts during lunch or we are on-line ordering that hard to find toy for our kids. It's going to happen in your office, so why not make it official? Schedule an additional hour or two of lunch time for each employee so that everyone doesn't slip away at the same time.

Take the pressure off your employees - It's been a tough year financially for many people and the last thing they may want to do is spend money on an outfit to wear to the evening holiday party. Keep things simple and instead hold a gathering during lunch time, when things are more informal.

Take time to thank your employees - Set aside time to meet with each of your employees and thank them for their efforts during the past year. And while you are at it, thank your boss for his or her continued support.

Turn your blackberries off when you are celebrating your holiday with your family - Most people forget that there is more than one holiday going on in December. If you are celebrating Chanukah or Kwanza with your family, then you should be able to do so without the interruption of your Smart phone.

What advice would you give first-time managers during the holiday season? Please share your suggestions in the comments section.

Roberta

Roberta Chinsky Matuson
President
Human Resource Solutions
413-582-1840
Roberta@yourhrexperts.com
www.yourhrexperts.com http://www.yourhrexperts.com

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