The holiday season is around the corner. Some employees are probably on their ‘leave approval mission’ while others are taking half-days to go Christmas shopping. But whatever may be your case at workplace right now, we’re here to identify the types of co-workers you spot during the holiday season.
7 Types of Employees at Work During the Holiday Season
1. The Christmas Enthusiast
This is the co-worker who has no regrets putting reindeer antlers on their desk. They groove to every Christmas carol on their way to work. You might suddenly start jamming to Jingle Bells because you’ll hear it so many times from them. Don't be surprised if they ask you for your Christmas shopping list on a Monday morning. There are two ways to handle this co-worker during the holiday season: either join them, or buy good ear plugs.
Read more about How HR can promote Mental Health during the holiday season.
2. The Grinch
The Grinch is the exact opposite of the Christmas Enthusiast. Avoid using the phrases "merry," or "holiday” in front of them. They have nothing to do with happy holidays or Christmas cheer. This is the person who swears their ears will bleed if they hear Christmas music, regardless of whether it's March 15th or December 25th. Where to spot them, you ask? They are most probably seen searching for rocks to live beneath during the holiday season.
3. The Work Avoider
The Work Avoider is without a doubt one of the most recognisable characters at work during the holiday season. This co-worker lives in the illusion that every other day of December is the 25th or 31st. They are extremely into the festive feels to get their job done. Roll your chair over to their workstation and they're probably watching Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Home Alone 3, the Santa Claus or other Christmas classics, instead of handing the report you asked for three hours back.
4. The Party Planner
This person lives by the quote “An event is not over until everyone is tired talking about it.” Give them a notepad & a pencil to put behind their ears, and they will be the happiest you’ll ever see. They are skilled to navigate the sometimes-unpredictable waters of scheduling and troubleshooting office parties. It's no wonder why their phonebook contains the contact numbers of every other vendor, gift shop and event organiser in town.
5. The Perfectionist
“I'm sorry, but the Christmas tree only has 99 ornaments instead of 100?” “Instead of an angel, you tried putting a star on top?” They are a true twin but also a nightmare of the Party Planners. This type of co-workers know what they want, how they want it, and will never settle for anything else. You’re already on their black list if you refuse to participate in Secret Santa or wear red/green outfit during the holiday season. Also, they will only start listening to the carol on December 1st, and never before.
6. The ‘December’s like any other month’
"Which month is it again?"
Also called as 'The Spectator', this is the superficial co-worker who sits back with a bag of popcorn, watching the brawls unfold between Grinches, Party Planner and Perfectionists at the workplace. They have no particular interest or even disinterest in the holiday season. It’s probably that they don’t get all the fuss about the festive season. They might also get tantrums thinking about all the expected social & office gatherings during the holiday season.
7. The Restless HR
This co-worker may or may not be the HR but is certainly carrying the ‘happiness responsibility’ of employees during the holiday season. They are the ones behind sending wishes to your mailbox or forwarding a festive message with a customised graphic. They are also found helping out the Party Planners in every possible way and are also responsible for crafting employee gift cards & vouchers. They're certainly having their fun, only if you have your own.