The holiday season is a natural pause point for many professionals, but for many, it can be one of the busiest times of the year. Strategic planning, budgeting, production forecasting, customer commitments, and year-end reviews all at once.

Yet this season also presents an opportunity. Companies that intentionally support their key talent during this time strengthen engagement, increase retention, and position themselves for a more successful start to the new year.

Help ease the stress and keep your team engaged during the holidays.

Acknowledge the Unique Pressures at Year-End

Top performers often carry the weight of strategic decision-making, cross-functional alignment, and overall business continuity. During the holidays, this load increases, especially for leaders responsible for forecasting, capital projects, supply chain contingencies, or customer-facing priorities.

A simple acknowledgment goes a long way.

  • Thank leaders and team members for navigating end-of-year complexities
  • Recognize their influence on strategic wins, safety improvements, or growth initiatives
  • Highlight their impact on team performance or culture

High-achievers rarely ask for praise, but they feel its absence.

Offer Flexibility

Acknowledge that salaried roles often demand constant availability. Offering thoughtful flexibility can differentiate your culture, especially in a competitive talent market.

This could look like:

  • Providing meeting-free blocks to focus
  • Allowing remote work days when travel or family commitments peak
  • Encouraging the team to unplug when taking PTO
  • Rebalancing workloads to reduce the last-minute holiday crunch

The message becomes: We trust you to deliver, and we respect your time.

Reduce the Noise and Prioritize What Actually Matters

Employees can struggle not with the workload but with workload clarity. During the holidays, this challenge becomes amplified.

Companies can support them by:

  • Narrowing down essential year-end priorities
  • Pausing non-critical projects until January
  • Clearly outlining expectations for deliverables
  • Eliminating unnecessary meetings that drain time and energy

Clarity creates engagement. Overload creates turnover.

Encourage Connection and Recognition

Senior leaders and technical experts often spend much of the year supporting others. The holidays are an ideal time to celebrate their contributions and encourage meaningful connections with peers.

Consider:

  • Small executive or departmental gatherings focused on appreciation
  • Highlighting key achievements in year-end communications
  • Peer recognition moments during leadership meetings
  • Personalized gestures such as handwritten notes, tailored appreciation messages, etc.

Recognition that feels personal lands far deeper with top-level talent.

Focus on Strategic Well-Being, Not Just Work-Life Balance

High performers often push themselves harder than anyone else. During the holiday season, this can lead to burnout at a time when companies need them the most.

Support their well-being by:

  • Encouraging intentional downtime
  • Allowing leaders to redistribute tasks to their teams
  • Providing resources for stress management, coaching, or professional development
  • Reinforcing that rest is part of performance, not a break from it

Healthy leaders drive healthy teams.

Provide Transparency and Direction Heading Into the New Year

The holiday season is when many employees will quietly reflect on their future. January and February are historically high-turnover months for senior and technical roles, and much of that stems from unclear expectations or stagnant growth paths.

Keep your top talent anchored by:

  • Reviewing upcoming initiatives or strategic shifts
  • Outlining advancement opportunities or stretch projects
  • Sharing organizational priorities for Q1 and beyond
  • Conducting year-end conversations that focus on development, not just performance

When top talent sees a compelling future within the organization, they are far less likely to look elsewhere.

Reinforce Purpose and Impact

High-impact employees are driven by purpose. They want to know their work matters, especially in an industry where innovation, safety, and problem-solving directly shape the world around us.

Use the holiday season to reinforce:

  • How their work drove revenue, efficiency, or innovation
  • How their team improved processes, safety, or culture
  • How their role ties into the company’s long-term strategy

Purpose is one of the strongest retention tools available.

Supporting your most impactful employees during the holiday season isn’t simply about being a thoughtful employer; it’s a strategic decision. Leaders and high-level contributors drive innovation, stabilize teams, and shape culture in organizations.

When companies invest in their well-being during high-pressure moments, those employees are more productive, more loyal, and more energized moving into the new year.

Are you looking for top talent in the Specialty Chemical, Advanced Materials, or Animal Health industry?

Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your team. Boaz Partners is a premier executive search firm focused on the direct recruitment of executives and professionals for specialty chemicals, advanced materials, and animal health spaces. We are your partner, and our focus is on custom recruiting solutions. Follow the link to learn more about how our specialty chemical recruiters can help you.