It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
We’ve still got a ways to go, but Christmas this year looks better than last year’s, at least.
Christmas decorations are up, concerts are slowly coming back, and most of us can now fly locally or abroad to reunite with our loved ones. At the very least, it looks like the world vaccination drive is working.
And this is a good sign for many companies too! With the economy slowly and cautiously opening up, customers are starting to shop for the holidays again. Even small businesses are benefiting thanks to Tiktok trends and other social media promotions.
So, now is a great time to boost your products and services! But before you dive right into the crazy holiday rush that comes with fulfilling orders at this time, don’t forget about your remote employees.
If you’ve been working with remote workers from the Philippines for a while, for instance, you’re probably aware that the holidays are sacred to people whose families occupy a central role in their lives.
(And if you’re just about to start working with them, well, now’s a good time to get acquainted with these customs.)
Not sure about how to keep your company functioning while respecting your employees’ rights to time off at Christmas? Fortunately, there are proven and tested remote work policies that you can try to implement during the holidays:
Set Core Hours
Working from home means flexibility. For holidays, however, sticking to a regular working schedule can be challenging. Customer inquiries and concerns are likely to increase, while marketing departments might find themselves working overtime to produce engaging content.
So, more than ever, it’s important to agree on core hours for meetings and important discussions. For example, set Monday mornings for weekly goal-setting and Friday afternoons for check-ins.
Once you’ve set these designated times, you can focus and work around these tasks even amidst all the holiday madness.
Have Clear (and Realistic) Expectations
Speaking of those meetings and check-ins, be clear about your priorities for the holiday season from the get-go. Let your team know about your non-negotiables before the season ends – and be prepared to be flexible with everything else.
Keep these goals and deliverables as straightforward as possible too. You need your marketing team to email 20 prospects a day? Let them know. Do you need five posters for all social media accounts before the second week of December? Tell your graphic designer and social media manager right away.
On the other hand, bear in mind that Christmas is a major production for most households and thus require significant preparation. Thus, your workers might be a little more distracted or stressed at this time. Make allowances as needed, but check on their progress regularly to keep things going.
Encourage Transparency
It can be challenging to track what everyone is doing when you’re managing remotely. However, different monitoring software makes that possible. But apart from that, it also helps to employ a more personal approach.
Amidst all the holiday rush, check in with your employees every now and then. You can drop a quick message on WhatsApp, for instance, just to check if everything’s okay on their end. When managing a remote is limited by digital communication, transparency is more important than ever.
Above all, make your remote employees feel that it’s okay to ask for help, especially this holiday season.
Ease Up On The Pressure
Businesses are usually concerned about reaching sales targets before the year ends. It’s part of the game – and is always very stressful. But, well, needs must.
This can result in intense pressure for everyone to deliver. But don’t let this affect how you manage your teams. Instead of micromanaging everything, give your team members enough space to do their work. Intervene only if they ask you to or if they’re clearly struggling.
Be Clear About Your Policies On Holiday Leaves – Even Before The Holidays Begin
Don’t expect everyone to be willing to work on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. (If possible, declare these occasions as non-working holidays for your company.)
And if your team has worked hard all year and has gotten your company this far, a well-deserved break is a small price to pay.
Be very clear about the terms, however. Can employees who go on leave during the holidays use their paid leaves, for instance? What’s the maximum number of paid leaves they can avail? When should everybody be back? And how many days in advance should they file for a leave?
Once you’ve ironed these out, send out a company-wide email containing all the details.
While it’s undoubtedly frantic and stressful, the holiday season is also a chance to fortify your working relationship with your remote teams.
Fortunately, Remote Staff has been assisting Australian SMEs and entrepreneurs like you with the help of skilled remote workers from the Philippines since 2007. Aside from onboarding, we also provide management support – so you can also have a worry-free and hassle-free holiday season.
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
