Holiday Workplace Giving and Receiving
November 30th is the official date to end the Atlantic hurricane season. It precedes the turn of the calendar to December, a month of holiday celebrations, and the close of a calendar year. This year, for our milestone anniversary, John and I took our first weeklong cruise. We chose the Caribbean for warmth and no need to fly and purposely chose a bigger ship in case the seas gave us the last taste of the storm season.
At each Caribbean Island we visited, they were celebrating the number of ships at port. You could see as they spoke, their eyes lit up, and we heard the gratitude in their hearts for the passengers’ arrival. The tragic hurricane seasons in the past and COVID gave them a new appreciation for their jobs and the people they serve that come ashore.
At the end of our cruise, we experienced the ship’s crew members hugging goodbye as our sailing date marked the end of many of their contracts, and they were headed to their respective homes abroad. We were told that the staff were from many countries around the world, and most had to apply for new contracts annually. They may never see each other again if their contract was not renewed or they were placed on a different vessel in the future, while others, with job security at the moment, would stay on the ship and celebrate together as a work family, far away from their personal families.
Accepting Changing Circumstances
What does the end of the season look like for you? This year, in our personal family, we have two loved ones grieving from losing their spouses and life looking much different this year. You, like us, may not be with all the loved ones you wish to spend time with. Similar to your personal life changing year by year, your work family and circumstances change annually also. Companies move, sell, close, welcome new personnel, say goodbye to employees, and have different financial years. Employees resign or take leaves of absence for a myriad of reasons, all changing what one holiday may look like from the next in your workplace.
Your approach to the holidays in the workplace can make them special for yourself and others despite one’s beliefs, circumstances, or participation level.
Continue an Attitude of Gratitude
Thanksgiving precedes the giving month as a reminder that it costs nothing to show you are grateful for others regardless of circumstances and those meeting your expectations. Employers, you choose to hire your employees, and employees, you choose to accept working where you are employed. An attitude of gratitude is about being present in the moment and thankful for what you have right now through ever-changing circumstances. It means that a year from now, things will be different, and you will exercise your choice, as you do in any relationship, to do your part to help it thrive, however long that may be due to business decisions in the workplace. The right attitude helps you offer grace and mercy to those around you, even when you think they might not deserve it, and it helps you survive whatever circumstance you may be currently facing yourself.
Home for the Holidays: Unwrapping Joy with DIY Decor, STEM Toys, and More
Remember, Gifts and Bonuses Are Not Assured in Every Workplace
Working in the industry, with people on the giving and receiving sides, married to an industry professional, and being an employer myself, I have witnessed firsthand what it feels like to be on both sides of unmet expectations when it comes to holiday workplace giving and receiving.
Employees compare past years and past employers and set bonus numbers in their minds, causing disappointment if it is off the mark or upping expectations in the next year if it was, by chance, more generous than anticipated. If you gave or received something, setting your mind on feeling blessed is the way to go. Many employers do little or nothing in fear of the repercussions of unmet expectations, especially during holiday time. If you had a verbal or written bonus mentioned and did not see it, accept that it does not negatively affect your value, worth, or credibility. And, by all means, a bonus is not your holiday shopping money, as it is not guaranteed.
Don’t let your unmet employer expectations ruin your holidays or make you distrust bonus discussions in the future. Not all employers are the same, and if not this year, maybe next, your chances of receiving something over and above your standard of pay are high. Our industry has many rock stars when it comes to rewarding their employees’ efforts at holiday time and throughout the year. They can only be shining stars if you see them in the best light in all circumstances.
Communicate with Acceptance—Celebrating Religious Freedom
Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of a living savior. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem. Both celebrations demonstrate thankfulness to God, our creator of the universe and everything in it, including us. In America, we are allowed to celebrate our religious freedom and the love that lives in our hearts for us to open. Wherever country you originate from or whatever belief you share, if you are granted a holiday, wish them a simple, “Thank you, enjoy your holidays.” It goes a long way in showing your acceptance of the person who took the time to acknowledge you, regardless of whether you are celebrating the same or not.
Celebrity Ship Captain
The captain of the Celebrity ship we were on started in an entry-level role with the cruise line 28 years ago. He now commands a ship with a staff of over 1,300 from 64 countries around the world. We did not meet one crew member who appeared to be unthankful for their job despite their role, their distance from home, or the circumstances they faced at home and abroad, including some rough seas, late departures and arrivals, and more.
Tower Cranes
We pulled into Port Everglades to see one of our favorite heartwarming views, that of tower cranes. Both my husband and I love seeing tower cranes, and since 2008, we have a warming in our hearts when we do. We remember the years when tower cranes were nowhere to be found, and our industry was far from thriving, and we are thankful for surviving. May you see what you have and look forward to what is yet to come.
Author and cartoonist Scott Adams said, “Remember, there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
Surviving to Thriving
This holiday season, will you join me in celebrating you and our industry despite your role, your distance from home, or the circumstances you face as the year is in its last weeks so you can go from surviving to thriving?
’Tis the Season,
Suzanne Breistol
Did you know that “’Tis the Season” represents the Friday after Thanksgiving through the first week in January?
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