Panicked frenzy | 3 ways to help your employees avoid Black Friday burnout

3 ways to help your employees avoid Black Friday burnout

Winter is coming and with it a horde eager to consume all that lies in their path…

Thankfully, it’s not the undead White Walkers from HBO’s hit Game of Thrones but an army of a different kind; consumers eager to grab the best bargains in the run up to the festive season.

It’s easy to get swept away with the hype of Black Friday and to frantically prepare for the deal-mad shoppers set to descend on your business. It’s easy to send your stores, warehouses and delivery drivers into a panicked frenzy as your managers and employees rush to be ready. In short, it’s easy to mess everything up.

That’s why you need to take a minute, grab a breath (or a coffee - just go easy on the Pumpkin Spice), and listen to our advice.

You should want your employees to sail through Black Friday smoothly and serenely rather than washing up on the shore once it’s over as beaten up wrecks.

Here’s our top tips on how to help your employees avoid Black Friday burnout.

1. Be flexible

According to our report The State of the Deskless Workforce 2021, 35% of deskless workers say they’d rather have a flexible schedule to a pay rise and 57% saying their personal care suffers because of inflexible schedules.

Flexible scheduling is an incredibly powerful way to give your employees an element of control and to allow them to work on their terms. It’s not just good for your employees, it’s good for business. With a state-of-the-art scheduling tool, you’ll always have the right people in the right place at the right time. Your employees are happier and your business performance is optimised - it’s a win-win.

2. Be the best listener going

It’s going to be all kinds of noisy during the festive season. You’re going to be busy, your staff will be working flat out and it will be all systems go. This means it’s super easy to stop listening to your employees and for their voices to be drowned out in the noise. The truth is, it’s times like this when listening to what’s happening on the ground becomes more valuable than ever.

Use a WFM tool to send instant surveys to your employees to find out how they are doing, what their pain points are and how you can make their lives easier. In retail especially, employees play the most important role in delivering the best possible customer experience. That’s why it pays to listen to them.

Not only will you be able to understand what life is like on the frontline, you’ll be showing them you care and that their input is valued.

3. Say thank you

According to WorkL, on average, people are thanked for doing a good job once every four and a half months - which works out about three times a year. Imagine that for a second - you only get thanked three times every year for doing your job. It’s hardly a great incentive for wanting to be better at the job, deliver a better service, or provide a knock-out customer experience.

This makes even less sense when recognition consistently ranks as one of the highest influences on employee happiness - far more than salary. Even though you might be swept off your feet, try and find the time to thank your employees, it can make a world of difference to their wellbeing.

Want to know more about what your employees really want? Then download the State of the Deskless Workforce Report 2021 to find out.

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