How to craft inclusive employee holiday messages

The holiday season is in full swing, and the signs are everywhere — even in the workplace. There are company parties that bring people together for evenings of fun, charitable drives that aim to give back to communities in need, and exchanges of well wishes as some employees get an early start on a much-needed holiday break.

As a communicator, you likely have either a set content cadence or a series of employee messaging that centers on the holiday season. But it’s important to remember that this time of year looks different for everyone, especially those with diverse, geographically dispersed workplaces.

Consideration for employee backgrounds and language usage is key

Sure, you could slap “Happy Holidays” on a virtual postcard, toss it on your intranet, and call it a day. But that’s not likely to earn much engagement or show your employees you’re invested or interested in their cultural practices and celebrations.

Emily Graham, chief equity and impact officer at Omnicom, told Ragan that she directs her holiday communications from a place of inclusion, as faith-based commemorations make up such an integral part of the season.

“My team and I are not solely focused on the cultural and religious observances happening in the winter timeframe or the United States only,” Graham said. “We’re thinking globally about religious holidays and cultural moments that take place year-round and that may have different expressions depending on the country.

Graham’s additional advice for comms pros included:

• Don’t make assumptions. Cast a wide net with your comms, but don’t assume that a generalized holiday message will resonate with all of your employees. “In December there are three major faith-centered holidays from different communities – Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa,” Graham said. “We must be careful not to make assumptions, based on a person’s culture or perception of their background, that they celebrate a particular holiday or the holiday season in general.”
• Stay on top of shifting language. Language and word choice around holidays can shift quickly. It’s your duty as a comms pro to stay on top of it. “I suggest leaning into credible, trusted resources like the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding for guidance on the latest best practices for faith inclusion in the workplace and applying those practices in ways that align with your organization’s business and culture,” Graham said. “Also, seek input from the community that you are communicating about or with, and get their input on planned communication to review positioning and context.” For instance, employees can look to employee resource groups (ERGs) to help position comms for certain employee demographics. This can mean offering holiday-specific greetings through intranet posts or working with ERGs to highlight employee activities celebrating these events, like a Christmas party or Hanukkah gathering.

Create a genuine connection from the top

Among the flow of holiday messages from a company is typically some sort of note from leadership. Communicators should work closely in collaboration with organizational leaders to nail the timing, wording, and tone of these messages to ensure they’re authentic and reflect the values of both the company and its employee base. It’s also important to reflect on the timing and circumstances. For example, if a leader tells people to enjoy their holidays by relaxing and then dumps a bunch of work on them, that’s not going to go a long way toward building bonds and authentic comms.

“Burying employees in work or last-minute stressful deadlines so that they can’t take or enjoy their leave or asking them to respond during holiday breaks and vacations including calling, emailing and texting work-related messages, is not authentic,” especially if it contradicts well wishes from leaders, said Amanda Ponzar, communications leader and Ragan Advisory Board member.

Ponzar told Ragan that communicators and leaders should work together to form messages that are relatable and understanding of employees who might face difficulties during the holidays. Modeled behavior from the top helps set a unifying tone through internal communication.

“Show company leaders giving back versus sharing a glamour shot of the CEO’s family on a luxury holiday ski trip in the Swiss Alps,” Ponzar said. “Average company employees may be struggling to make ends meet, trying to figure out how to both pay bills and purchase holiday gifts, especially with inflation.”

Use comms to bring together far-flung team members

The holidays are a great time for bringing people together, but for a bevy of reasons, it can also be an isolating time. It’s a good opportunity to reach out to remote employees to strengthen bonds of inclusion and make them feel like integral parts of the team, no matter their location.

Amira Barger, executive vice president of communications, health, and DEI advisory at Edelman, suggested communicators create spaces for remote employees to share their holiday experiences and traditions as they bond with colleagues.

“Remote companies can build a sense of connection during the holidays by hosting virtual events like trivia nights, themed dress-up days, or cooking sessions where team members share favorite recipes or traditions,” Barger said. “Virtual gift exchanges or gratitude boards and cards are also fun ways to celebrate each other’s contributions.”

She added that employee resource groups can help employees find community with others who share similar ideals or identities.

“Ultimately, the goal is to lead with empathy, respect, and an understanding that everyone’s experience is valid and worth honoring,” she said.

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.