Leadership | December 17, 2025
The holidays are a time people look forward to all year—slowing down, reconnecting with loved ones, and finally taking a well-earned breath after months of hard work. While calendars fill with celebrations and travel plans, work doesn’t come to a complete stop. How employers navigate this in-between period matters more than it seems.
With a thoughtful approach, the holiday season can become an opportunity to keep teams engaged, help employees feel genuinely appreciated, and strengthen a culture that carries positive momentum into 2026. Here are three practical ways employers can support focus and engagement as the year comes to a close.
1. Foster a Positive Atmosphere That Keeps Teams Motivated
As the year winds down, motivation often dips. Creating an environment rooted in fairness, acceptance, and camaraderie can make a meaningful difference. According to Business News Daily (2024), workplaces that prioritize these elements see higher morale and stronger engagement—particularly during high-stress periods like year-end.
Simple acts of gratitude go a long way. Acknowledging effort, resilience, and contribution reminds employees that their work is valued. As Forbes (2019) notes, even a simple, personal thank-you—such as a handwritten note paired with a small reward—can significantly boost motivation and reinforce a culture of recognition during the holidays and beyond.
2. Prioritize Mental Health and Well-being
The holiday season can be just as mentally demanding as it is joyful. Balancing work deadlines with work commitments often leaves employees stretched thin. Forbes (2019) reports that physical and mental health strain tend to increase during this time, and organizations that proactively support wellbeing see higher engagement and retention.
Encouraging rest, normalizing conversations around stress, and allowing flexibility where possible help employees stay healthy, present, and supported, setting them up for a stronger start to the new year.
3. Introduce a Team Wrap-Up Week
The final weeks of December are often the most draining. Energy is low, deadlines feel heavier, and teams are pulled in multiple directions. According to Harvard Business Review (2025), 41% of people experience heightened stress during this period, leading to inefficiency, spillover work, and burnout.
HBR (2025) also highlights the “peak-end effect,” where people judge an experience largely by how it ends. If the year closes in chaos, employees tend to remember the entire year as exhausting—even if much of it was positive. That feeling doesn’t reset in January; it follows teams into the new year, quietly draining motivation and momentum.
A dedicated Wrap-Up Week helps teams end the year on a positive, intentional note. Instead of pushing new initiatives, it creates space to close loops, reflect, and reset together. During a Wrap-Up Week, teams can focus on:
- Finishing rather than starting: Closing open tasks and projects instead of introducing new ones.
- Having overdue conversations: Address delayed feedback, alignment issues, or decisions before they spill into the new year.
- Reflecting as a team: Reviewing what worked, what didn’t, and which habits are worth carrying forward.
At Fisher, we are here to support organizations during this demanding season. Through our Culture and Engagement Strategy and Employee Engagement and Retention services—including surveys, feedback tools, and rewards and recognition programs—we help you enter the new year with motivated teams, renewed focus, and a stronger workplace culture.
References:
Harvard Business Review. (2025, December 15). Finish the year strong with a team wrap-up week. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2025/12/finish-the-year-strong-with-a-team-wrap-up-week Harvard Business Review
Pankowski, L. (2024, November 22). 5 ways to keep employees engaged during the holidays. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1675-holiday-employee-engagement.html Business News Daily
Forbes Human Resources Council. (2019, November 25). The Q4 challenge: Six ways to keep employees engaged through the holidays. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2019/11/25/the-q4-challenge-six-ways-to-keep-employees-engaged-through-the-holidays/
