The holiday season can bring joy, connection and celebration, but it can also bring pressure, grief, and exhaustion. Some of your team members may be counting down the days to their favorite traditions, while others may be facing their first holiday without a loved one or feeling the stress of end-of-year deadlines. As a leader, it’s important to make mental health part of the conversation. It starts with awareness, empathy and a few intentional choices to show people you see them as more than just employees.

Begin by listening to your team. And not just to what they say, but to what they don’t. If someone declines the holiday party, respect their choice. Let them know you would love to have them join but understand if they prefer not to. There may be reasons that celebration feels heavy this year and honoring that boundary builds trust far more than forcing participation ever could.

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