Technology can't replace worker efficiency and output when it comes to increasing productivity in the workplace, according to Randstad's 2007 World of Work survey. Too bad. It would help at this time of year.
After all, computers don't celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. They don't have shopping to do, parties to plan, school pageants to attend, or guests coming from out of town. Workers do, and holiday distractions wreak havoc with business operations in late November and December.
 LEITA COWART/Special |
| Karla Brandau (from left), a productivity expert, talks with Elaine Sharp of Chick-fil-A and Bria Dillon of Enterprise before speaking at a meeting of Executive Women International. |
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| 'People's heads and bodies may be at work, but their hearts are at home.' KARLA BRANDAU Productivity expert |
 LEITA COWART/Special |
 LEITA COWART/Special |
| Nell Fielden (above), senior vice president of human resources at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, joins employees Dee Hatcher (left), Latrese Coyt (right) and Michele Klopper (above) in looking over some of the gifts that will go to needy families adopted by departments at the organization. |
"During the holiday season, extended family needs are supercharged because family issues are heart issues," said Karla Brandau, principal of Karla Brandau & Associates. She is a keynote speaker, trainer and consultant on productivity, leadership and people skills. "People's heads and bodies may be at work, but their hearts are at home."
This explains why personal Internet surfing at work increases during the holidays. Finding that hot toy for little Joe is a priority. So are flight reservations to get to Grandma's house.
So how do employers and employees stay focused and working amid the hustle and bustle? By admitting the challenge.
"Employers need to acknowledge upfront that this is a really busy time of year and cut their workers some slack. If workers know that they'll have ample time off to meet their personal needs, they're more inclined to stay focused at work," Brandau said.
Employers can grant additional days off, such as the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.
"What if a company let everyone go an hour early the week before Christmas? When people know they have less time to get things done, they tend to focus on the job. They do less chit-chat and find shortcuts to do the work, so they can leave on time," she said.
Make holiday time into flex time. If someone needs to attend a school play, allow him or her to work from home that day. People often get more done at home because they aren't interrupted by co-workers or meetings.
"Smart companies recognize that this is a special time of year and find ways to let their employees work and enjoy the holiday," Brandau said. "Offering some flexibility and being sensitive to human needs raise employee morale, and people work better."
Carol Flammer, president of Flammer Relations, a real estate public relations firm, gives her employees one day off to shop during the holiday season.
"They get to choose the day, and knowing that they don't have to do everything on the weekends helps them focus on work when at work," she said.
"Use the give-to-get strategy," Brandau said. If employers are giving the gift of paid time off and more flexibility, be clear about expectations.
"If management told employees in November, 'We all want to have a great vacation, so let's identify what projects we need to complete before Dec. 21, so that can happen,' then everyone would understand the priorities," she said.
Refocus efforts
Some industries (such as retail, shipping and transportation) don't slow down for the season. A lot of companies are global, with employees and clients who celebrate other holidays at different times of the year.
"Companies want to address their most urgent and vital priorities before the end of the year. They should make sure that international clients' needs are met and essential sales get closed," Brandau said.
If the industry does slow down, adjust your sales and marketing campaigns to end earlier in the year so that you'll make your numbers, and switch gears to do nonurgent business in December, she said.
"Our experience has been that many of our business partners and referral sources wind down this time of year, so we simply plan for it," said Mack Mullins, CEO of The Bearland Group, a provider of client-focused residential and commercial mortgage services. "We make sure we schedule closings in December well in advance, and we all take the time to develop our individual business plans for the coming year.
"It's the perfect time to celebrate the successes of this year and plan for the next."
Because employees of The Bearland Group telework, they already have flex time to balance work and family obligations, but, during the holidays, they also cover one another's vacations.
"Our clients expect us to be responsive and focused, regardless of the time of year, so we make sure we've covered them," Mullins said.
Some companies use the downtime to hire people, do employee training or maintain their technology systems and physical buildings.
"It's also a good time to clean out computer and paper files, and renew business relationships," Brandau said.
Keep in touch
Robin Hensley, president of Raising the Bar, a business-development coaching firm that specializes in working with attorneys and CPAs, said her clients are either in "hair on fire" or "waiting for 2008" mode at this time of year.
"Either they're too busy with their own company deadlines and working to close deals before the holidays, or they've decided to schedule business-development coaching in January, when they can focus on it," Hensley said.
In either case, she sees fewer clients and uses December to plan for what she knows will be a busy January.
"It's a good time to go through your database and see who you haven't contacted in awhile," Hensley said. "You can send out greeting cards — or, even better, call to wish someone happy holidays.
"People do business with people they know and like, and you have to take time to build relationships."
If you don't have a system for tracking business contacts, this is a good time to set up a software system — such as Salesforce, Sage's ACT! or Microsoft Office Outlook — to help you manage customer relationships, Hensley said.
"Clients or potential clients would go on your 'A' list to contact once a month, and the system will remind you automatically so that you can send an e-mail, make a lunch date or send them an article that would interest them," she said.
Everything in its place
If you work independently, learn to compartmentalize, Brandau said. When you make your to-do list, separate the work from the personal items.
"At this time of year, we do a lot of tactical, logistical things. Things that require concentrated effort or are difficult to do suffer because we are excited and distracted," she said. "Do the important things during your prime work time, and let the personal things be a reward for afterward."
Embrace the spirit of the season, said Nell Fielden, senior vice president of human resources at Atlanta-based Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
"There is still so much work to do before the end of the year — board meetings, fund-raising, closing out the books and supporting our clubs," Fielden said. "We try to ensure that our staff has adequate personal time off and are flexible about letting them plan it. But we also create moments at work when we can pause and enjoy the season."
Each department in the corporate office adopts a needy family in December.
"The list of [the family's] wants and needs goes up, and employees will stop and talk about what they're buying when they break for coffee," she said. "It focuses on giving and helping others — which is what our staff is passionate about all year long — but it also builds our teams."
An employee chorus sometimes sings carols in the halls. "It lifts people's moods and lets them enjoy a little entertainment before getting back to work," she said.
One morning the company provides a catered holiday breakfast for staff members in appreciation of their hard work. The third week in December, staff members can wear bluejeans if they donate $1 toward gift cards for the adopted families.
"We try to think of new and different ways to let people enjoy the flavor and spirit of the season, to make it not just a traditional workday," Fielden said. "You can't ignore what's going on in people's lives outside of work. It's more counterproductive to ignore it than to acknowledge it, so we find moments to have fun.
"If you're a little flexible, the work gets done. That's just good work/life balance."