As the end of the year approaches, teams face a perfect storm of tasks: reconciling budgets, conducting performance evaluations, and preparing project estimates for next year. This season also brings the added complexity of employee vacations, holiday closures, open enrollment periods, and unpredictable weather. Here are five tips to help your team stay balanced and productive during this busy season.
1. Divide and Conquer
Divvying up tasks can alleviate stress in several ways. As employees take time off for vacations or encounter snow days, workloads can be more easily shifted within the team. By distributing time-intensive tasks, you reduce the risk of last-minute bottlenecks and keep projects on track.
2. Be Realistic with Priorities
Identify what needs immediate attention and what can wait until after the holidays. If certain tasks, like budget submissions or performance evaluations, won’t kick off until mid-January, let your team know that they can focus on urgent priorities now and tackle these activities in the first few weeks post-holidays.
3. Consider Temporary Help
Whether it’s hiring an extra admin for paperwork or a consultant for next year’s project estimates, temporary support can help maintain your team’s sanity and schedule. A short-term investment in additional help could save time and keep everyone’s workload manageable.
4. Get Organized Early
This isn’t the season for searching for misplaced invoices or missing files. Get ahead by organizing your team’s documentation and centralizing information needed by multiple members. A streamlined approach to information access can prevent unnecessary delays and stress.
5. Set Up a Repeatable System
If your current steps to manage the year-end rush are working, document them to create a system for next year. Continue refining this approach each year, making adjustments as needed, until your team handles the year-end period smoothly.
Managing the year-end rush doesn’t have to be chaotic. By dividing tasks, setting realistic goals, bringing in extra help, organizing ahead, and creating repeatable systems, you can help your team stay productive and calm. Implement these tips now to make this season less stressful and set your team up for future success.
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