Research has shown that half of UK workers describe December as the most stress-inducing month, with work deadlines, busy social calendars, and the cost of living all having an impact on our wellbeing. Returning to work can be just as difficult, with post-holiday blues and the pressure to catch up making the transition even harder.

“On one hand, people face the pressure of wrapping up end-of-year tasks and tying up loose ends, while on the other, they must find the motivation to get back into work mode after the Christmas break. This makes it especially important for employers to support their teams’ wellbeing during the festive period,” says Lesley Cooper, Founder of consultancy WorkingWell and co-author of Brave New Leader.

As the year draws to a close, Cooper has shared her key strategies for employers to reduce stress and protect employee wellbeing this holiday season and beyond.

1. Help them manage their personal resources

Pressure is a constant in both work and life and while it can serve as a catalyst for growth, it can also become overwhelming during periods of increased workload and heightened stress, such as the end of the year. To create an environment where employees are able to manage pressure in ways that work for them, and to speak up when demands exceed their ability to cope, leaders need to model behaviours that support employee sustainability.  

They also need to create the conditions that allow employees to effectively manage their personal energy resources and in so doing, build their resilience and capacity. This includes but is not limited to: encouraging regular breaks and intentional recovery to recharge energy throughout the day, promoting boundaries between work and personal life, providing flexible working arrangements, and encouraging employees to fully disconnect after work hours.

2. Foster a culture of psychological safety

To ensure people feel comfortable speaking up or taking a break without fearing it will be seen as slacking, what’s needed is an improvement in workplace psychological safety. Building a more psychologically safe culture is not inherently difficult, but it requires genuine commitment and involvement from leadership to model behaviours that build trust as well as encourage openness and inclusion. Above all, it allows people to drop the work mask, feel able to be themselves, and bring all that they are and have to offer to the work challenge.

Only then are employees able to put forward their ideas, try new approaches that might help them, or simply say they need a little downtime to recover. To ask for help with their end-of-year workload or seek support when struggling to regain motivation after returning to the office, people need to feel they are operating in a psychologically safe environment in the first place.

3. Promote realistic expectations  

Another strategy to avoid last-minute stress is to set realistic goals for the last weeks of the year. Given the time constraints and the fact that many employees may be dealing with holiday distractions, it’s important to make sure that deadlines are achievable. Employers should also help their teams focus on the most important projects and clearly communicate what needs to be done and what can wait.

Once the team is back at work, it’s helpful to encourage employees to prioritise and tackle high-impact tasks first. Jumping into work straight away can be counterproductive and increase stress levels. By focusing on what matters most, people can manage their workload more effectively, make steady progress, and avoid feeling overwhelmed – ultimately preventing a further drop in motivation.

4. Provide access to professional support

Leaders simply can’t have all the answers when it comes to addressing issues in the workplace. But they can be there to listen and signpost accessible support, playing a key role in providing access to support services and counselling. Ensuring employees have a safe, non-judgmental space to discuss their challenges is vital. This support might come from trusted colleagues or professional therapists, whose services should be readily accessible. By offering these resources, leaders can prevent pressure from escalating into more severe issues and cultivate a culture of care.

"It’s crucial for employers to understand that wellbeing is a state achieved when physical, mental, and social health meet. To protect employees during challenging times, such as the festive season, they must create psychologically safe workplaces that enable individuals to manage their personal energy resources and access the support they need. But this should extend far beyond just challenging moments and be the foundation of wellbeing strategies all year round,” Cooper concludes.