By Tebogo Baloyi, Head of Human Resources, Bryte Insurance
In the fast-paced world of business, as the year draws to a close, organisations worldwide are facing a universal challenge: how to maintain productivity and employee engagement amidst the distractions of the festive season and the year-end rush. This is a time when stress levels peak, and a sense of fatigue can weigh heavily on teams. However, it is important for businesses to end the year on a positive note and lay the foundation for a successful new year. In this article, I will provide insights on how to maintain productivity within your organisation while also ensuring the mental wellbeing of your employees. These are the things I prioritise at Bryte Insurance to help guide the team to the year’s end.
In the spirit of the age-old adage, “communication is key'', maintaining productivity, especially during the year-end period, hinges on clear communication and goal setting. It's essential to set realistic expectations for employees regarding their year-end responsibilities and deadlines. Creating a detailed roadmap for the coming weeks, highlighting key tasks, projects, and priorities allows employees to have a clear understanding of what lies on the road ahead. Knowing what to anticipate, empowers teams to plan and strategise effectively.
Open communication within teams and providing a platform for employees to discuss concerns, challenges, or roadblocks they encounter, is invaluable. When employees know what is expected of them, and have the opportunity to voice their concerns, it fosters a more focused and productive work environment.
Gone are the days where maintaining productivity meant pushing employees to the limit. In today’s people-centred organisations, we know that prioritising employees well-being and a healthy work-life balance, goes a long way in providing a supporting environment that allows workers to thrive. As HR professionals, we must prioritise the physical and mental health of our workforce. At Bryte, one of our values is to work hard, but never at the expense of your family. We centre this principle in how we approach and define work-life balance for our employees.
Promote flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to manage their personal and professional commitments. This fosters trust and ultimately leads to increased productivity as employees can balance their responsibilities more effectively.