By Denise Boudreau-Scott from her newsletter “Ideas to Inspire”
Last week I had an interesting conversation about a holiday party that an organization had planned for their staff. A happy topic right?
By Denise Boudreau-Scott from her newsletter “Ideas to Inspire” Last week I had an interesting conversation about a holiday party that an organization had planned for their staff. A happy topic right?
But the person I was speaking with was frustrated that many of the non-supervisory staff members were not attending. She wondered if it was a reflection on employee morale. Lots of effort was put into planning the event and she felt badly that people just couldn’t be bothered with it. I knew the feeling well. One year I was actually so annoyed with what I deemed ungrateful staff that I threw away my copy of “1,001 Ways to Motivate Employees”! Having learned from my own experience, I suggested to the person I was talking with that she look beyond her frustration to the real issue. Many of the non-supervisory staff works two jobs. When you are barely making ends meets how likely are you to take a day off your second job to attend a party? Many staff members are single mothers with no support systems. Do you pay a babysitter to attend a holiday party or buy a coat for your child? Thinking about a different perspective was eye opening for this leader. She realized that she had never thought about the real reasons people were not attending the celebration. Don’t assume everyone has the same way of life or standard of living that you do.
Take Action!
Reading “Random Family” by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc dramatically changed the way I interact with non-supervisory staff. The author followed a family living in poverty and shares life from their perspective. The book became even more meaningful to me when one of the women in the book took a job as a nursing assistant. For a quicker read, this article from the NY Times shares one CNA’s struggles with juggling it all.
Inspire!
While it’s impossible to meet every person’s needs, think about these ideas when planning a celebration:
- Let Staff Members Plan: A simple, but often overlooked, idea is to have staff members that represent a variety of perspectives plan the celebration.
- Welcome Children: Can you arrange for babysitting on site or a daytime party that welcomes children?
- Share the Goodies: Hold a free raffle for staff to share the gifts your team receives this season. One year, a staff member who won a basket told me she was so thankful because she now had a present to give her husband who was otherwise getting nothing.
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Staff is our most valuable asset. At the holidays there are many different things one can do to celebrate this value. Use the money that would be spent on a holiday party differently. Some examples: A gift basked or bag for each employee A movie pass for the employee and members of her immediate family A tree where they select an ornament and that contains a number which is tied to a small gift. Or a contest where the winner(s) receive a new electronic device I could go on. The main thing is to have employees remember that you care about them and want them to know it.
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Case Mix Reimbursement for SNF’s
Discussion: Don’t Do THIS When Planning Your Holiday Party For Your Staff
Thank you for that article. I hear people in the community so often say, “Instead of the holiday party, I would much rather have the money.” However, I have a holiday party for my employees and they talk about how much fun they had until the next one comes along. Do they do that just because they are talking to me, or do they say the same thing to their friends and family? Every year I enjoy planning the party. Going out Friday and Saturday nights to find the band I want to hire, and choosing the menu, buying the decorations, etc. I let them bring their friends after dinner for the dancing, but since I have an open bar, I don’t allow children. Is it possible that the small bonus I give them plus the expensive party makes everyone happy?
Posted by Gloria Brent
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Assisted Living Professional Network
Discussion: Don’t Do THIS When Planning Your Holiday Party For Your Staff
Great article! Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas.
Posted by Karen Midlo
Great ideas for gifts Charlene! You are absolutely right, the most important thing is for employees to know that you care about them. Holiday time people often show that with a gift and/or party, but all year long it can be shown by taking the time to connect with staff members in a meaningful way. Thanks for sharing!
Gloria it sounds like you put a lot of effort into planning something special for your employees. If you are getting good representation from various departments, shifts, and positions you might have a future career in party planning! My hope in writing this article was to challenge people to think about holiday celebrations through a different perspective. Let me know how the party goes this year!
Thanks for taking the time to comment Karen!