For some, the holiday season is awash with constant moving and shaking. B2C businesses, for instance, barely have time to sit for a few minutes to catch their breath. For others, however, such as the B2B sector, the holidays can become disturbingly sluggish with little to no activity and a sense of boredom and helplessness.
Never fear. While the holidays may be causing a lull in your company, this slack provides you with ample opportunities to assess, evaluate, and organize for the coming new year. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated during this holiday season.
Schedule Interviews
Experts advise job-seekers to spend the holiday season pursuing a change in (or new) career and, for recruiters, this could be a valuable time to find the right people you want. Take some time to look through existing resumes as well as solicit for new ones. During the holiday season, many potential employees will be more readily available for an interview. Plus, scheduling interviews ensures you will have tasks to complete.
If you are seeking new work, now is a great time to apply for an EA role or start scouting potential new jobs.
Plan Ahead
The New Year will be ringing in a new decade this year, so why not revisit your hiring procedures and see what, if any, changes or updates need to take place, to prepare you for 2020? Many of today's companies - as much as 40 percent - outsource either part or all of their recruiting processes. Are there changes you can make to improve the process for your company? Are there specific roles you would like to find a suitable candidate for or a problem area within the organization you would like to see addressed?
Ring in the new year with an updated, streamlined process to reach these goals in 2020.
Network
The holiday season is ripe with festive opportunities to participate in holiday networking. From Christmas parties to New Year's galas, this unique time of year allows you to get out, nurture existing relationships, and establish new ones, and San Francisco has no shortage of holiday parties!
Get Organized
Got a slow day in the office? Great! This is a perfect time to toss out the old and bring in the new. Experts have discovered that a cluttered workspace has multiple negative impacts that ultimately affect productivity. Specifically, physical clutter:
Hinders creativity
Slows you down
Causes stress
Take some time out during the slow hours of your day to get your office and workspace organized.
If you look around and begin to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of getting organized, don't worry. You can begin small and, once you get started, you will begin to feel better about getting it done. Some tips for getting organized include:
Start with your desk.
Empty your drawers and go through any papers on your desk. For confidential papers, make sure they are shredded, but for other files or papers, create a filing system that is sorted by your preference (ie, date, client name, category, etc.). If you want to reduce paperwork, consider digitizing as much as possible and stow away paperwork in storage.
Go through your computer
Speaking of digitizing, if most of your information is stored on a company cloud or otherwise digital, go through these files to ensure they're properly labeled, organized, and easy to find. Archive outdated or obsolete items to free up space for the new year!
Throw Your Own Party
Having your own holiday celebration allows friends, coworkers, and potential employees to share in the celebrations of the new year. Whether you choose to bring holiday gifts into the office or hold an all-out office party, showing your appreciation for those around you can go a long way in creating an atmosphere of joy, peace, and prosperity.
Wishing you a final season of reflection, celebration, and success as you gear up for 2020. And if you're looking to build your administrative or HR team in the new year, a little elf told us that The Hire Standard is the agency to call to make your hiring wishes come true. CHEERS!