As the year comes to an end, work almost never slows down the way our bodies and minds need it to. In workplace health studies, stress that doesn’t go away hurts focus, morale, and long-term performance. But a lot of companies still think that rest is a reward that you have to earn and not a basic need for doing good work. The holiday season makes this strain very clear because of its emotional and practical demands. What does real thanks at work look like when there are deadlines and too many emails? Is it symbolic actions, or is it something that is more structu ral and protective? “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” says the saying. During one of the most difficult times of the year, this roundup goes over useful, research-based methods leaders can use to protect energy, recognise effort, and show kindness.

Mandate a Paid Day of Rest

The single most meaningful way organizations can bring genuine humanity and rest into the workplace during the Christmas season is by enforcing a Mandatory Paid Day Off for Recharging.

Many companies throw holiday parties or give out small bonuses, but those things do not actually address the stress of the end-of-year rush and the demands of the holiday season itself. They just add more things to the calendar. A mandatory day off, not attached to the normal holiday schedule, tells your staff that you see them as human beings who need to genuinely recharge their batteries, not just as cogs in a machine.

At Co-Wear LLC, we schedule this day in the first week of December, when the business gets crazy, but before the real Christmas travel starts. Everyone must take that day off. We do not allow them to check in, and we do not expect them to catch up on emails. It is a gift of genuine rest. It reinforces the idea that their well-being is a core business value—a core purpose—and not something to be ignored when the sales numbers are high. That is real gratitude, not just a nice card.

Flavia Estrada, Business Owner, Co-Wear LLC

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Normalize Rest, Separate It From Metrics

One meaningful way organizations can bring genuine humanity into the workplace during the Christmas season is by intentionally creating space for rest without attaching it to performance or productivity metrics. In fast-paced environments, especially across learning and certification-driven roles, structured pauses such as company-wide recharge days or reduced learning deadlines send a powerful signal that people matter beyond output. Research from Gallup shows employees who feel their well-being is genuinely supported are 69% less likely to experience burnout, which becomes especially relevant at year-end when fatigue peaks. Simple gestures like closing internal meetings for a few days, encouraging uninterrupted personal time, or publicly acknowledging effort without linking it to KPIs help restore energy and trust. When rest is normalized rather than earned, it creates a culture of gratitude that lasts far beyond the holiday season.

Arvind Rongala, CEO, Invensis Learning

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Slow Down, Protect Time, Give Specific Gratitude

Honestly, one of the best things a company can do around Christmas is simply let people slow down and not feel bad about it.

Most people end the year exhausted. Deadlines pile up, everyone is trying to wrap things up, and stress is already high. So when a company says, in real actions not just words, that it’s okay to ease off a bit, it really lands. Things like fewer meetings, shorter days, or even just saying “log off early if you can” make people feel trusted.

I’ve also seen that gratitude means a lot more when it’s specific. A general thank-you message is nice, but it doesn’t stick. What people remember is when someone takes a moment to say, “I noticed how you handled that tough situation,” or “You really helped the team get through a stressful time.” That kind of recognition feels human and personal.

Rest is another big one. Many people take time off but still feel pressure to stay online. During Christmas, protecting that downtime by not pushing last-minute work or expecting quick replies helps people actually recharge instead of just pretending to be on holiday.

At the end of the day, Christmas already carries a warm, reflective feeling. When a workplace respects people’s time and energy during this season, it builds trust and goodwill that lasts far beyond the holidays.

Xi He, CEO, BoostVision

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Honor Peak Work With Recovery And Transparency

One meaningful way to bring genuine humanity into the workplace during Christmas is to acknowledge that this season isn’t just busy for your customers – it’s absolutely brutal for your team, especially in logistics where we’re managing 3-4 times normal volume while everyone else is celebrating.

At Fulfill.com, I’ve learned that real gratitude isn’t about pizza parties or generic thank-you emails. It’s about giving people what they actually need: time and acknowledgment. During our peak seasons, we implement what I call “recovery windows” – we identify our hardest-working team members who’ve been pulling 12-hour days and mandate they take specific days off in January, fully paid, non-negotiable. We schedule these before the chaos ends, so people have something concrete to look forward to when they’re exhausted.

But here’s what makes it genuine: we pair this with radical transparency about the business impact of their work. I personally share specific customer stories with our warehouse teams – not sanitized corporate communications, but real examples of how their overtime helped a small business owner fulfill their holiday orders and keep their dream alive. When you’re packing boxes at 11 PM, knowing you just saved someone’s business means something.

We also created a “shutdown protocol” where, between Christmas and New Year’s, only emergency-level work happens. No meetings, no new projects, no “quick questions.” I tell our team: the boxes are shipped, the customers are happy, and anything else can wait. That boundary is sacred because in logistics, there’s always another urgent request. Someone has to say no on behalf of the team.

The logistics industry has a retention problem because we burn people out during peak season, then wonder why they leave. I’ve seen the difference it makes when you treat December’s intensity as a debt you owe your team, not just the cost of doing business. People remember when you protected their humanity during the hardest weeks of the year. That gratitude has to be structural, not performative.

Joe Spisak, CEO, Fulfill.com

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Pause Nonessential Work And Build Clear Boundaries

During Christmas, we support rest by reducing daily decisions and pausing work that is not urgent. Non essential approvals and updates are delayed so people can focus on rest and mental space. In one case, a planned rollout was moved to give teams time to fully recharge. This choice showed respect for energy and reminded everyone that work can wait without harm.

We encourage people to disconnect fully and avoid checking messages during the holiday break. Leaders support this by stepping back themselves and setting clear limits for others. Clear boundaries build safety around rest and help people return more engaged and thoughtful. Over time, this mindset shapes healthier habits and shows that well being supports better work for everyone.

Christopher Pappas, Founder, eLearning Industry Inc

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Adopt Pause Weeks And Lead With Gratitude

One meaningful way organizations can bring genuine humanity into the workplace during the Christmas season is by intentionally slowing down and formally protecting time for rest and appreciation. Structured year-end “pause weeks,” where non-essential meetings are eliminated and workloads are intentionally reduced, signal trust and respect far more than symbolic gestures. Research from Gallup shows that employees who feel recognized and cared for are up to 21% more productive and significantly less likely to experience burnout, which becomes especially relevant during the holidays when mental fatigue peaks. Pairing this pause with personal expressions of gratitude from leadership—acknowledging effort, growth, and resilience rather than only outcomes—creates a sense of being seen as people, not just performers. In practice, this approach strengthens morale, preserves energy for the new year, and builds a culture where empathy is demonstrated through actions, not slogans.

Arvind Rongala, CEO, Edstellar

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