3 Ways to Prioritize Mental Wellness in Retail Workers This Holiday Season

Image by Heidi Fin from Unsplash

The holidays are often depicted as a time of togetherness, peace, comfort, and joy. While many people experience moments of those idyllic situations throughout the season, a lot of time around the holidays can also be incredibly stressful. A study by the American Psychological Foundation found that 38% of people say their stress increases around the holidays.

From a human resources perspective, it’s not hard to see why. Employees might be stressed about meeting deadlines before the end of the year or before they take a long vacation. If you work in retail or manufacturing, you might be incredibly busy this time of year (especially if you’re dealing with staffing shortages!). They might also be dealing with issues at home, whether it’s struggling financially to buy presents or dealing with family drama that’s impacting their mental health. All of these issues can negatively affect workplace productivity, but they can also lead to burnout and have lasting personal consequences for employees’ well-being.

So, what can you do to prioritize the mental wellness of workers this holiday season? How can you reduce stress in the workplace and give them more time to enjoy this time of year without the risk of feeling burnt out?

1. Plan for Holiday Workloads

It’s not uncommon for the retail industry to have its biggest rush of the year around the holidays. With that in mind, start planning ahead now. Look at data from years past to determine things like:

● Popular items ● Buying trends ● Busy days/weeks ● Busy times of day ● Effective promotions

With that kind of data in front of you, it will be easier to anticipate problems before they start. Making sure teams have adequate time and resources is essential to mitigate stress and burnout. Take the time now to assess how resources are allocated. Because the workload will likely look different during the holidays, resource management will keep things running smoothly. Look at things like budgets, technology, time, and team members and determine what needs to change and be adjusted to make sure everything runs smoothly and no one gets overly stressed by the influx of work.

2. Create a Comfortable Schedule

While the holidays are a busy time for retailers, the bottom line shouldn’t be prioritized above the well-being of employees. In recent years, many major retailers have decided to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day, giving their employees a chance to spend time with their families without having to rush off to work and deal with early Black Friday shoppers. While they might be missing out on some sales, this simple gesture is a great way to ensure their employees are happy and healthy.

Setting reasonable hours throughout the holidays and keeping your business closed one or two days a week can actually motivate employees to do their best. They’ll be more energized, and calmer, and will likely have an easier time staying focused.

In addition to setting scheduling boundaries, teach employees to set boundaries with customers. Not every customer is going to be friendly. Some can even be argumentative. By teaching employees to be respectful but firm, they won’t let those disgruntled customers ruin their entire day. Some of those boundaries should include:

● Respecting their time ● Communicating effectively ● Remaining in control ● Letting go of guilt

Customer service is one of the most important aspects of any successful business, but the customer isn’t “always right” when they’re belittling staff.

3. Show Appreciation

Even if you set clear expectations about the season and keep a reasonable schedule, there’s no denying this time of year can be stressful for retail workers. One of the most important things you can do is to recognize when an employee is on the brink of burnout. Stress is one thing, and it can be damaging enough, but burnout can lead to lasting mental health complications. Some of the most common signs include:

● Exhaustion ● Reduced efficacy ● Sadness or anger ● Fatigue

Giving employees adequate time off and helping them strike a healthy work-life balance is a great way to prevent burnout, but it’s also important to show them that they are seen and valued. The holidays are a time of giving, and while you should be showing employees appreciation all year, now is a perfect time to start. Consider catering a few lunches throughout the season, or offering monetary rewards and incentives for employees who reach certain goals. Even the simplest forms of recognition can make a big difference.

Don’t be afraid to ask employees for their feedback about the holidays. Doing so will let them know you care about their mental health. When you get detailed feedback on what they want/need, it’ll be easier to implement even more positive changes next year, so everyone can enjoy the success of the season without feeling overwhelmed by stress.