12/15/25 - Holiday Decisions Have Long-Term Consequences
The holidays put business leaders in reaction mode. Schedules are tight, people are tired, and decisions get made quickly — often without the time or space to think through long-term impact. What feels like a small people decision in December can quietly turn into a bigger issue in January.
This time of year doesn’t usually create people problems — it reveals them.
Below are a few focus areas worth paying attention to right now, while there’s still time to course-correct before the new year begins.
Focus Area 1: Extra Hours and “We’ll Sort It Out Later” Thinking
During the holidays, many teams rely on flexibility to get through busy weeks. Extra shifts, extended days, or informal schedule changes often happen with good intentions. The risk shows up later, when there’s confusion about hours worked, overtime eligibility, or what was actually approved.
Clarity matters more than perfection here. Even brief notes about schedule exceptions or additional hours can help prevent misunderstandings once paychecks are issued or questions arise.
If you’re finding yourself saying, “We’ll deal with it after the holidays,” that’s usually a signal to write something down now — even informally.
Optional reference:
U.S. Department of Labor – Guidance on Hours Worked and Overtime
Focus Area 2: Time-Off Decisions That Feel Personal
Time off around the holidays is emotionally charged. When one request is approved and another is denied, employees don’t just see a business decision — they often see fairness, favoritism, or inconsistency.
Even when decisions are reasonable, the absence of clear guidelines can make them feel personal. This is where having a simple, documented approach to time off — even if it allows flexibility — helps leaders explain decisions calmly and consistently.
Consistency protects trust, especially during high-stress periods.
Optional reference:
SHRM – Managing Employee Time Off Fairly During Peak Seasons
Focus Area 3: Letting Performance Issues Slide “Just This Once”
It’s common for leaders to overlook performance issues during the holidays. Tardiness, missed deadlines, attitude concerns, or customer complaints often get a pass because everyone is stretched thin.
The challenge is that when those same issues show up again in January, there’s often no record that they were addressed before. That gap makes follow-up conversations harder — and sometimes contentious — because expectations were never clearly reset.
Addressing issues calmly and early doesn’t mean being harsh. It means being clear.
Optional reference:
Harvard Business Review – Managing Performance During High-Stress Periods
Focus Area 4: Emotional Decisions Made Under Pressure
Fatigue and stress increase the chance of reactionary decisions. Schedule changes, discipline, or even termination conversations made during peak stress are more likely to be questioned later.
When possible, pausing to document facts, separate emotions from observations, and give yourself a moment to think can significantly reduce risk and regret.
Holiday decisions tend to carry more weight than they feel like they should.
How This Ties Together
The common thread across all of these situations isn’t intent — it’s structure. Clear expectations, simple documentation, and consistent processes make people decisions easier, especially when things are busy.
Most small business leaders don’t need more rules. They need practical tools they can lean on when time is short and pressure is high.
That’s why I focus so heavily on simple, repeatable people-management practices — the kind that support good leadership rather than replace it.
Looking Ahead
In the next Bear Brief, we’ll look at how to use January as a reset — not a reckoning — and how to reestablish expectations without starting over or damaging morale.
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— Bear Essentials HR