I quit a job without giving two weeks’ notice exactly one time in my life. I was a college student hustling to make rent, and I’d recently landed a job at a large retail store close to campus. It seemed like a huge step up after many years of cooking and serving up fast food on roller skates.
Then I worked my first—and last—Black Friday shift, which really started Thanksgiving Day. Amid the chaos, I found myself missing the deep fryer. I would’ve rather spent hours delivering food to people’s cars in the rain and snow. At least then no one expected me to act like I was thrilled to be there.
Good service still mattered, but fast food customers didn’t look to me to behave as though I wasn’t a barely-above-minimum-wage employee giving them exactly what they paid for. In retail, I felt pressure from customers and management to embody the holiday spirit of Saint Nick himself, showing them how overjoyed I was to cut my own family Thanksgiving short to help frenzied people buy stuff because it was on sale. At least I made tips on the skates.
It struck me then how easy it was to disregard the humanity of the person on the other end of the interaction. Often customers saw employees as tools—obstacles even, if they dared to enforce purchase limits. Many employees saw customers as enemies to be dealt with as quickly as possible.
But the holidays don’t have to be that way. Take the following things into consideration if you’re looking to spread some holiday cheer to the server checking on your meal, the cashier ringing up your groceries or the first responders keeping our community safe.
Offer small acts of kindness
It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of holiday shopping, the misery of cold weather and the intensity of spending time with extended family. Just don’t take it out on the hostess who tells you it’ll be an hour wait.
Kindness.org is a global nonprofit organization focused on research, education and programs that promote compassion. Some acts of kindness they recommend for service workers around the holidays include:
1. Leaving a thank-you note for your mail carrier. U.S. Postal Service workers are especially busy during the holiday season, bridging the gap between faraway loved ones. They are prohibited from accepting cash or gift cards, so a note is a great way to show your appreciation.
2. Saying thank you to a service worker in the moment. When it comes to giving workers treats and gifts, organizations have different rules about the kinds of things they can accept. If you want to bring goodies to show your appreciation and thanks, call ahead to learn the rules.
Amber Graves, continuous improvement engineer at Morning Fresh Dairy Farm in Bellvue, says some customers leave out treats or tips for their delivery drivers, which help keep spirits high during a busy season. While the cow care staff have the same shifts year-round, the milk processing, delivery and office teams kick into high gear during the holidays, she says.
People tend to order more ingredients for baking, like butter, eggs and cream, as well as extra staples for family visiting from out of town, she says. Morning Fresh’s holiday eggnog, Ummber’s Ice Cream boxes and Bread Chic pies are particularly popular this time of year.
“All that extra food ordering means everyone involved in producing the goods and getting them out on delivery has a bit more logistics and work to do,” Graves says. “We love being a part of people’s holiday traditions and helping bring delicious food to our community.”
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Consider Bigger Acts of Kindness
Lighten the load for someone who works during the holidays. These tips from the
First Responders Foundation can support anyone working this time of year.
• Help with childcare and pet sitting, especially during long shifts.
• Drop off a meal or pass along a grocery gift card.
• Shovel snow or rake leaves.
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Stay safe to lighten the load
Not only do first responders work holidays, but they tend to be some of their busiest days. According to the American Red Cross, nearly 47,000 fires occur during the winter holidays, claiming more than 500 lives, causing more than 2,200 injuries and costing more than $554 million in property damage.
That’s why it’s important for first responders like Andrew Morris, a lieutenant with Poudre Fire Authority, to be ready to go, even on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“We all understand that sacrifice because we love what we do, and we understand the responsibility that comes with it,” he says.
This can have a great impact on firehouse families, Morris says, but they find ways to make the holidays feel special, especially when it’s a slow shift. Families often come to the station for a holiday meal, bringing different side dishes and desserts to share. Sometimes they have to bring additional tables and chairs to fit everyone.
“Of course, if the tones go off, we respond just like we normally would,” Morris says. “We leave the celebration behind, go take care of the call and hope everyone is still there when we get back—or at least that somebody saved us some dessert.”
Staying safe is the greatest gift you can give any first responder, according to the First Responders Foundation. That includes following fire and safety precautions, driving safely in winter conditions and not getting behind the wheel impaired. It’s also good to check on your elderly neighbors.
The next best thing you can do is say thank you this holiday season by sending cards to a local fire department, supporting programs that provide mental health care, volunteering for community events or sponsoring holiday dinners, according to the First Responders Network. Some organizations accept treat drop-offs and some don’t, so call ahead to verify.
Morris has many fond memories of spending holidays at the firehouse. One of his favorites was on Christmas morning, when his family stopped by the station, where a new bike was waiting for his daughter to open.
“Seeing my daughter ride her bike for the first time with my firehouse family there to share the moment is something I’ll always remember,” he says. “And yes, Santa comes by the firehouse, too.”
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Tips for Employers
If you oversee employees this holiday season, consider this advice from the Employer Services Corporation:
• Acknowledge and address holiday stress. This can look like encouraging folks to use paid time off or take advantage of flexible work schedules. This might also mean streamlining operations to handle increased time off requests while business is booming. Restaurants, for example, could consider cross-training staff, simplifying their menu or offering incentives to encourage team members to step up during the holiday season.
• Plan thoughtful holiday events.
Consider hosting fun celebrations during work hours so that employees don’t have to choose between a work party and their personal commitments. Avoiding religious or culturally specific themes is also a good idea.
• Don’t add financial pressure.
Requiring employees to participate in something like a gift exchange or charity drive could strain budgets.
• Set realistic year-end goals and check on employees’ workload.
According to Calm Health, an app that offers personalized plans to support mental health, 40 percent of U.S. employees say their workload is a primary source of stress for them, and year-end deadlines make that stress worse. Assess whether those deadlines are manageable and give employees opportunities to express how they’re feeling.
