How to Help Employees Through Holiday Stress

The holidays amplify whatever people are already carrying. For a lot of employees, that means grief, loneliness, burnout or tense family dynamics, all while year-end deadlines pile up.

In this episode of Revive Conversations, Revive CEO John Lufburrow sat down with Dr. Julie Marshall, Revive's Chief of Clinical Psychology, to talk through the four challenges that show up most this time of year and what employers and people managers can do about each one.

Grief feels heavier when everyone else is celebrating

Grief doesn't take a holiday break. Missing a loved one, or the traditions you shared with them, often hits harder when everyone around you seems to be at a happy family gathering.

The workplace can add to it. Holiday parties, happy hours and decorated offices put the season on full display. Dr. Marshall called it a hidden stressor: "that pressure to appear joyful when you don't feel joyful," on top of end-of-year deadlines.

What managers can do: Managers are on the front line because they know their people best. Dr. Marshall's advice:

• Remember that not everyone experiences the holidays the same way. People who are struggling may never say so out loud.
• Watch for changes in behavior. A reliable teammate who starts missing deadlines or showing up later than usual may need a check-in.
• Check in and listen, but don't become the counselor. Your role is support, not treatment.
• Know your resources. Be ready to explain what mental health and EAP benefits your organization offers, that they're confidential, and how to access them.

Loneliness is easy to miss

Loneliness is already widespread in the U.S., and the holidays can make isolation feel worse. Dr. Marshall described it as a "very invisible" kind of pain. Someone can look fine, and even perform well at work, right up until it becomes too much.

What employers can do: Don't count on employees to remember their benefits, especially under stress. Keep them front and center:

• Repeat the message often, and spell out how confidential the support is.
• Make access easy. Offer as many ways in as possible: phone, online, 24/7.
• Remove the guesswork. Employees don't need to know what kind of help they need. At Revive, care coordinators listen first and then connect people to the right service.
• Communicate before Thanksgiving. Broad messages through your intranet and usual channels, plus a holiday stress webinar, help put a face to the EAP and make it feel normal to use.

Year-end pressure meets holiday stress

Even people who love the holidays feel the strain. For most organizations, the season overlaps with the close of Q4: deadlines, planning for next year, and a long list of work to wrap up.

What managers can do: Expectations don't disappear, but support can sit right alongside them.

• Pair deadlines with flexibility. Dr. Marshall's framing: "We still have this deadline we need to hit, but let's talk about how I can support you."
• Encourage breaks and point people to the self-care tools available online and through the EAP.
• Make it clear that using support is expected, especially this time of year.
• Nudge people to use their PTO. Many employees leave time off on the table. John called time away "one of the best ways to heal" from stress and burnout, and the end of the year is the right moment to say so.

Family relationships top the list

In EAP utilization data, family and relationships are almost always the top presenting issue, all year round. The holidays turn up the pressure: more time together than usual, plus a steady stream of ads showing picture-perfect families.

Dr. Marshall's advice for employees is to take care of themselves, set the boundaries they need, and talk to someone. Counseling doesn't have to be a months-long commitment. As John pointed out, a single session with a counselor can give someone practical ways to handle a tough situation.

Revive sees utilization spike this time of year, driven by grief, loneliness, stress, burnout and complex family relationships. That makes this the moment to remind employees that short-term support is available and counts.

Your holiday support checklist

Here are the takeaways from the conversation, turned into steps HR and people leaders can take this month.

1. Send a benefits reminder before Thanksgiving. Cover what's available, that it's confidential, and every way to access it.
2. Brief your people managers. Ask them to watch for behavior changes and check in, and give them a one-pager on EAP and mental health resources.
3. Host a short holiday stress session. A webinar from a clinician puts a face to your EAP and makes it feel normal to use.
4. Encourage PTO. Remind teams to plan time off before the year ends.
5. Build flexibility into year-end deadlines wherever you can.
6. Make holiday events feel optional, not obligatory, so no one feels pressure to perform joy.
7. Remind employees that one conversation counts. Support doesn't require a long-term commitment or knowing exactly what you need.

Small gestures build a culture of support

Dr. Marshall's parting advice was simple: the holidays aren't easy for everyone, and you often don't know what people are dealing with outside of work. "Empathy and flexibility can go a really long way." Make sure employees know support is available and that it's okay to use it.

See how Revive can help your people through the holidays and beyond. Learn more.