It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. But whilst this is a time of celebration and festivities for many, HR managers should take steps to ensure inclusion within their teams.

Remember your remote workers.
Remote working has become commonplace, so there will likely be many staff members who have either never met their team face to face or haven’t seen each other in person in a long time. Remember your remote workers and ensure they are included in any festive celebrations. It may be difficult for them to attend in-person events if they are located a distance away from head office but consider hosting virtual events to make sure no one is left out. You could also look at booking them hotel rooms and covering travel costs, if your financial situation allows, to enable them to attend any work Christmas party.

HR managers should take steps to ensure nobody is excluded from social activities and discuss individual concerns on a one-to-one basis. If you’re doing a send-by-post Secret Santa, for example, make sure that employees don’t feel pressured to take part if they don’t want to and that they give agreement to the sharing of their home address, to adhere to GDPR rules.

Be mindful that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
Forcing festive activities on employees could offend or accidentally exclude some people, so it’s always best to make them optional.

Remember that many religious holidays take place this time of year – Bodhi Day, Winter Solstice, Hannukah and the Ashura festival to name just a few. Weaving in other cultural celebrations will help all your staff feel appreciated and supported.

Equally, make sure your festive celebrations are not always centred around alcohol. Whilst a tipple or two is generally acceptable at work parties, be mindful of employees who are underage or who choose to not drink, whether that’s for religious, medical, or entirely personal reasons. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or unable to join in the fun.

Don’t accidentally discriminate when it comes to approving annual leave…
There is no legal right to have Christmas Day off, unless it is written into the contract of employment. While most employers try to accommodate all leave requests, there may be instances where it just isn’t viable to grant them due to business needs.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that those with young families should be given priority when it comes to taking time off over Christmas. This isn’t strictly true and, should this approach be taken, it can quickly lead to division within the team.

Everyone is equally entitled to request and take annual leave, and this can be an important time of year for many people – not just those with young children.

As an employer the tricky thing is to decide WHO gets that all-important time off. Some factors to consider could include who put their requests in first, who hasn’t had a holiday in a while, etc. to ensure that the process is as fair as possible. Be careful not to assume anything when it comes to religious holidays and if its not possible for everyone to take time off over Christmas, then make sure that it’s not always the same people who get to do so.

Consider those who may be grieving or struggling.
For many, Christmas is a time of joy and family. But not for everyone. This time of year can often heighten feelings of grief, loneliness, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. With the additional pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy prices this year, many are simply worrying how they will make it through the winter rather than planning festivities.

For some of your staff, this could be their first Christmas without a loved one.

Don’t turn a blind eye to any of your employees who might be struggling at this time of year. Make sure they know where to go to seek support and always offer a listening ear. Be supportive, consider flexible working or other allowances that could be made to help them through this time.

Encourage use of your Employee Assistance Programme. Most importantly, ensure that your lines of communication are open, and your employees feel supported and able to speak up if they are struggling.