Few holiday season characters are as iconic as Ebenezer Scrooge, the lead of Charles Dickens's famed novella "A Christmas Carol." If you remember the book or the film, Scrooge was not a pleasant boss to work for, at least in the beginning, but he does offer some poignant lessons to entrepreneurs heading into the holidays.
If you want to ensure that you are not a Scrooge this winter in your business, follow this guidance:
1. No humbugs during the holidays
Do not hinder morale by being grumpy toward employees during the holidays. Robert Half, a human resources firm, argues that when managers hold staff members back, have a poor rapport with their workforce or exhibit a short temper, they will tend to cause staff members to leave the company. Employee turnover is a major source of financial risk and loss, so remain understanding and open-minded this holiday season.
2. Don't wait for the Ghost of Christmas Past
Scrooge did not reflect on his own life to identify how he was negatively impacting those around him until a ghost came to visit him in the night. Do not wait for such an occurrence, or realistically one faulty incident, to come to pass. Make sure you are constantly evaluating your previous approach to managing employees and looking for ways to improve, with a specific focus on how your actions impact the staff and the business.
3. Respect employees' desires to spend time with family
Remember how poorly Scrooge treated his hard working employee, Bob Cratchit, in the beginning of the novella? Don't be like that. The holidays are a special time for family, and they need to be respected as such. Make sure you are not only showing your staff members that they are allowed to take time off to spend with their family and friends, but encourage them to do so. This can be a great way to boost engagement going into the new year.
4. Take time for yourself
Business owners are among the most at-risk of experiencing burnout. Entrepreneur magazine, a small business publication, explains that some of the tell-tale signs of burnout among leaders include lethargy, lack of interest, absentmindedness and disorganization - all of which can rub off on the rest of the business environment. It took a ghost reminding Scrooge of when he lost the love of his former fiancée to understand the importance of work-life balance. Make sure you recognize this balance throughout the holidays.
5. Spread the joy
As a small business owner, you are a leader, and there is no better way to lead than by example. If you are moping around the office during the holidays, generally being a curmudgeon, chances are your employees will not be all that excited to come into work. Maintaining productivity is already a difficult task around this time of year, and being like pre-enlightened Scrooge will make it all but impossible. Embody Scrooge at the end of the novella - kind, big heart, excited about the holidays and willing to go over the top to ensure employees feel appreciated.
Happy holidays!
If you want to ensure that you are not a Scrooge this winter in your business, follow this guidance:
1. No humbugs during the holidays
Do not hinder morale by being grumpy toward employees during the holidays. Robert Half, a human resources firm, argues that when managers hold staff members back, have a poor rapport with their workforce or exhibit a short temper, they will tend to cause staff members to leave the company. Employee turnover is a major source of financial risk and loss, so remain understanding and open-minded this holiday season.
2. Don't wait for the Ghost of Christmas Past
Scrooge did not reflect on his own life to identify how he was negatively impacting those around him until a ghost came to visit him in the night. Do not wait for such an occurrence, or realistically one faulty incident, to come to pass. Make sure you are constantly evaluating your previous approach to managing employees and looking for ways to improve, with a specific focus on how your actions impact the staff and the business.
3. Respect employees' desires to spend time with family
Remember how poorly Scrooge treated his hard working employee, Bob Cratchit, in the beginning of the novella? Don't be like that. The holidays are a special time for family, and they need to be respected as such. Make sure you are not only showing your staff members that they are allowed to take time off to spend with their family and friends, but encourage them to do so. This can be a great way to boost engagement going into the new year.
4. Take time for yourself
Business owners are among the most at-risk of experiencing burnout. Entrepreneur magazine, a small business publication, explains that some of the tell-tale signs of burnout among leaders include lethargy, lack of interest, absentmindedness and disorganization - all of which can rub off on the rest of the business environment. It took a ghost reminding Scrooge of when he lost the love of his former fiancée to understand the importance of work-life balance. Make sure you recognize this balance throughout the holidays.
5. Spread the joy
As a small business owner, you are a leader, and there is no better way to lead than by example. If you are moping around the office during the holidays, generally being a curmudgeon, chances are your employees will not be all that excited to come into work. Maintaining productivity is already a difficult task around this time of year, and being like pre-enlightened Scrooge will make it all but impossible. Embody Scrooge at the end of the novella - kind, big heart, excited about the holidays and willing to go over the top to ensure employees feel appreciated.
Happy holidays!
