Create a Happy Holidays Mood at Work

Cathie Leimbach • December 20, 2022

It is the holiday season. We talk about this being the season of joy and peace. Yet, as leaders, how well are we modeling joy and peace at work. 

For many of us, the Thanksgiving to New Years’ period is the busiest season in our personal lives.  Family, friends, and the community often put more demands on our time. In the retail and food service industries it is also the busiest season at work. Businesses with a December 31st year end want a lot of loose ends tidied up the end of the month. These overlapping pressures can cause added pressure rather than offering us a time of joy and peace.

Great leaders are alert to the needs of their employees and take actions that create an uplifting environment where people feel valued and appreciated, limiting their workplace stress during this holiday season.

Here are a few things leaders can do to enable employees to feel joy and peace during this busy time:

  • Prioritize work-life balance. If this is not the high demand season for your business, don’t require or even request your employees to work overtime. If your client demands require long hours this month, ask employees when their special family and friends events are likely to take place and make every effort to not schedule them at these times.
  • Make time to connect with your team. Make a point of having 1-on-1s with all of your direct reports to thank them for a couple of things they are doing well at work and to ask about their personal celebrations. Don’t take phone calls or respond to texts during these conversations.
  • Create a festive opportunity at work. Decorate the office and/or have a special employee event so the workplace team can have some fun together.

As leaders, we have the power to enhance the mood at work, impacting employees' satisfaction on the job and in their personal lives. During this holiday season, let’s be intentional about leading in a way that helps out team members experience joy and peace.   

What Problems Disappear When Leadership Gets Stronger?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 14, 2026
Most workplace issues don’t start big. They build slowly—through missed conversations, unclear expectations, and more people leave. That’s where disengagement shows up. And when it does, the cost is real: 78% higher absenteeism 51% higher turnover 63% more safety incidents These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And across the U.S., the bigger picture is hard to ignore— disengaged employees cost organizations nearly $2 trillion annually in lost productivity (Gallup). These aren’t just HR problems. They’re leadership problems. When people don’t feel connected, clear, or supported: They call off more More people quit Mistakes and risks increase The good news? These patterns are preventable. Strong leaders reduce these issues by: Addressing problems early Creating clarity instead of assumptions Having consistent, direct conversations Reinforcing expectations before things drift It’s not about doing more. It’s about leading differently—every day. A question to consider: Which of these challenges is quietly costing your organization the most right now? 👉 Join our upcoming Leadership Conversation on April 27th, 3:00 PM—this is not a webinar . This is a candid conversation with leaders comparing their employee engagement challenges and successes. Most organizations are tolerating more of this than they realize. The question is—are you?

What Changes When People Actually Feel Engaged?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 7, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 27 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back?  If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.