With all the hustle and bustle just before the holidays, it can be easy for your team to lose focus. Here are a few simple ways to help your employees stay engaged, motivated, and appreciated during the most festive (and often hectic) time of year.

1. Make Holiday Cards Personal

It’s quick and inexpensive to order company holiday cards with pre-printed signatures but this year, take a few extra minutes to make them personal. Your leasing professionals, maintenance technicians, and assistant managers will notice the difference.

Use each person’s name and write a short, thoughtful note that highlights something great they’ve done this year. Personalization is rare these days, which makes it all the more meaningful.

2. Decorate the Leasing Office – Together!

Don’t let one person handle all the decorating this year. Turn it into a team event!

Buy a box of plain-colored ornaments and a Sharpie, and write each employee’s name and job title on an ornament. Invite your team to hang their ornaments on the tree while you serve hot cocoa and cookies.

Over the years, those ornaments will become a fun reminder of your team’s growth – like the leasing consultant who became your assistant manager, or the groundskeeper who now leads the maintenance staff.

3. Respect Holiday Traditions When Scheduling

Scheduling around the holidays can be tricky, and it’s nearly impossible to make everyone happy. But taking the time to learn about each employee’s family traditions can make a big difference.

Sit down with your staff to discuss what’s important to them during the season. Even if you can’t accommodate every request, showing that you tried demonstrates care and appreciation—and that effort alone can be one of the best motivators of all.

For more tips on retaining employees, read 3 Ways to Retain the Apartment Industry Professional from Hire Priority.