Workers were asked, "Does your workload typically increase, decrease or stay the same during the holidays? " Their responses:

Increase	28%
Stay the same	42%
Decrease	26%
Don’t know	4%

 
"In many industries, multiple projects must be completed before the close of the year, making it an especially busy period," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Human Resources Kit For Dummies, 2nd edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). "Many employees also take vacation days during the holidays, which can leave fewer staffing resources available."

Accountemps offers the following advice to help managers keep projects on track during the busy holiday season:

• Plan with your team. Allow adequate time to prepare for major year-end projects and set clear expectations for the group and about each individual’s specific role.
• Schedule time off strategically. Maintain an employee vacation calendar to determine if you will have enough staff on hand during the holidays and where potential time-off gaps may exist. Make the schedule available to the group so they can see when colleagues will be out of the office.
• Seek interim assistance. If your department is spread thin, consider interim staff to assist with end-of-year projects. Have employees who are taking time off prepare transition materials to help temporary professionals get up to speed quickly.

The survey was developed by Accountemps. It was conducted by an independent research firm, and is based on telephone interviews with 539 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.