The holidays are a special time of year that most people want to spend with their families. Unfortunately, though, due to the nature of many businesses (such as healthcare), employees need to work during the holidays – even on Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

As a leading temp staffing firm in Sacramento, California, we know that this can sometimes have a negative impact on morale, which could in turn hurt your organization’s bottom line.

But there are steps you can take to ensure your employees feel appreciated and valued, even though you can’t offer time off during the holiday season or give a big bonus. Here’s a look:

Say “thank you.”

This sounds incredibly simple. But the fact of the matter is that many employers forget to just say “thank you” to their employees for working during the holidays. By doing so, though, you’ll go a long way in recognizing their efforts and the fact that they’re sacrificing family time to work. Plus saying “thank you” is an incredibly cost-effective form of employee recognition!

Offer some flexibility.

If you can give employees some choice in the day or shift that they must work, then do it. For some employees, perhaps Christmas Eve is their family’s big holiday party; while for others, it’s on Christmas Day. Maybe an employee isn’t a fan of New Year’s Eve and doesn’t mind switching shifts with another employee who loves to go out on New Year’s Eve. But you won’t know this information unless you ask and try to accommodate.

Give back if you can.

Many organizations are operating on tight budgets these days. But if you can, offer your employees a small token of your appreciation, even if it’s just a $10 gift certificate to a restaurant, or an extra day off during the year. Gifts don’t need to be lavish in order for an employee to feel appreciated by them.

Consider bringing in temporary employees.

If the holiday season has your core staff stretched to the max, then consider supplementing them with temporary workers. You can hire temp help for a day, a week, or a month; you can bring on one temp worker or 100 – whatever you need to ensure your organization is properly staffed during this busy time of year.

And if you need help finding temporary workers that are a fit for you, give us a call. As a leading temp staffing firm in Sacramento, California, we have an extensive database of screened and qualified candidates ready to go to work. Contact us today to get started!