Tips for employees this holiday season
By Samson Osero
The festive season is gathering momentum with employees beginning the countdown to dumping 2019 to the annals of history. Like going downhill, people are inevitably slowing down engaged in personal stock-taking for lessons learnt during the year.
Some organisations are gearing to halt operations to enable employees proceed to long-awaited annual leaves for replenishment. Here are tips on how to prepare for the festive season as one looks forward to 2020 which is just a few weeks away.
End year routines
The year-end period may become stressful for staff members with outstanding work on organisational reports and records that must be finalised. Physical stock taking shall be a major activity that could make some sections no-entry zones. Factories may be closed down to facilitate the much-required annual maintenance services.
In addition to closing and balancing the books of account, finance people will be settling due payments such as releasing salaries. HR would be busy writing workforce reports to inform key decisions in the approaching year. Whichever activity one shall be undertaking, good work habits coupled with prioritisation will minimise uncalled for stress.
De-cluttering office table
Office executives, who have throughout the year compulsively accumulated things such as used newspapers or useless documents, need to de-clutter their office tables. The consequent disposals will obviously create space in the desk drawers for future use and access to current documents.
Those that postpone this activity may waste some of next year’s productive time trying to put their office desk in good order. It is important to regularly dispose of unwanted papers which would clog the flow of office work.
Dejunking the house
Some people’s houses are congested with junk items accumulated during the year without any intentions for disposal. The imminent holiday can provide one with time to de-junk the house with unwanted things. As part of one’s personal social responsibility, it would be commendable to participate in community initiatives to make the environment clean.
People with basement garages may decide to sell used items that occupy space which can be utilised for other purposes. Others may identify and donate used clothes to collection centre for distribution to the needy in society.
Christmas shopping
Supermarkets are already bombarding prospective customers with advertisements on goods with slashed prices. Despite hard economic times, the perennial tradition of Christmas shopping is here to stay. Most people will be flocking to commercial establishments to purchase gifts for family members and friends.
With easy access to credit using any of the many loan apps, people are likely to engage in spending sprees that could cause regrets afterwards. Others may even purchase, on impulse, unneeded items because they are on sale. Shopping at this time requires personal financial discipline because 2020 is around the corner with commitments such as back to schools.
Travelling upcountry
Public transport companies are bracing themselves for the usual high demand for their upcountry services. Fares may double but that will not discourage the travellers some of whom have immediate family members residing in the county side. Greedy bus firms are notorious of overworking drivers who in the process are prone to causing road accidents.
Passengers have a duty to demand that drivers do not speed to endanger their lives. The relevant transportation authorities should put in measures aimed at reducing accidents during the festive period and beyond. Safety on our roads is a priority that should not be compromised at the altar of bribery.
A section of the upper middle class will be flying to touristic destinations like the coastal city of Mombasa to while away the season. Hotels in the destinations shall host daily events that attract local residents who will not be boarders. Indeed, the season will cater for holidaying needs of various types of people depending on the stockiness of their wallets.
Christmas parties
Besides attending church services on Christmas Day, the faithful hold parties as part of celebrations marking the birth of Jesus. Even non-Christians throw parties to socialise while enjoying food and drinks on the public holiday. People are expected to exercise moderation in the functions to avoid ugly incidences like fights or tragedies such as accidents arising from drunken driving.
The Christmas period is a time some people generously offer various donations to the poor especially orphaned and vulnerable children including helpless older persons in the community. Organisations, under the banner of corporate social responsibility, donate food and other items to children’s homes and shelters for the aged.
The writer is HRD Consultant and Author of Transition into Retirement. [email protected]
