Holiday Checklist for Schedules, Policies and Procedures

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Holiday Checklist

The holiday season has arrived (where does the time go?) and in addition to all the shopping, travel and family gatherings, there are some other important things to plan for as well. Each company has different schedules, procedures and policies for this time of year and it’s important to understand the do’s and don’ts of your client or employer.

Below is a simple yet helpful holiday checklist of areas to be mindful of during this holiday season:

Work Schedule

It’s important to know your client or employer’s work schedule this time of year, especially this year with holidays falling on workdays. If you don’t already, find out what days are considered paid holidays or what days your office might be closed. For days surrounding the actual holiday, will some of your team members or systems that you rely on to perform your job be in place? Is it possible for you to work remotely at all around the holidays if most people are out of the office? For those in a support role, what is your on-call schedule for the holiday weeks? These are some of the things you are better off finding out now as to not be scrambling around at the last minute. If you have time available or days you will need to take off yourself, make the appropriate people aware as early as possible so they can plan for your absence.

Holiday Parties

Many companies have some type of holiday event at this time of year. This could be in the form of a gift swap, having lunch provided for everyone or a full-blown holiday party. It’s important to realize that even though these types of events are in good fun, it is still in a work environment. Keep things professional, don’t buy inappropriate gifts that could offend others, and don’t go overboard on the adult beverages. You don’t want to be “that” guy or girl who spoils the fun for everyone in future years. And if you do attend a party on or offsite, designate a driver if you plan on consuming alcohol.

Gift Policies

It’s common practice for some people to get a small gift or token of appreciation for their manager or co-workers. If this is something you choose to do, you need to make sure this is something your client or company allows. Some places don’t allow you to give gifts of any kind, others have a limit on the amount of the gift, and some don’t have any hard and fast rules. Know your situation and stick to it. Also, keep any gifts or gestures of appreciation professional and appropriate.

Keep these simple yet important things in mind this holiday season and you won’t have anything to worry about, aside from those credit card bills in January. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday and a happy new year!

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