If your business is planning Christmas drinks and parties while getting ready for the seasonal wind-down, the atmosphere around the office will be getting very Christmassy over the next couple of weeks. But spare a thought for those freelancers who work tirelessly all year but never get to see any of the fun stuff.
OK, they don’t have to contend with the commute or the office politics, and they can work in their pyjamas should the fancy take them, but that doesn’t mean those that work from home should be left out of the festive revelry.
So, this year, why not get your freelancers involved in the festive fun?
Invite them to the Christmas party
This seems blindingly obvious, but if you want to show your freelancers their effort is appreciated, why not just invite them to the Christmas party next year? This will also help people put a person to the face and name and could even make for a better working relationship in the future.
They may not be able to make it, they could live on the other side of the world, but the offer won’t go unnoticed.
Get them in the office
Another option could be to invite them into the office, and maybe take them to your local for a few drinks after work or during lunchtime – this way, they don’t have to commit to a full night of revelry and all the potential embarrassment that comes with it, but they do get to meet the colleagues they’re always in touch with but very rarely see or even speak to.
Take them out for a team meal
If a full staff do isn’t on the cards, or your freelancers can’t make it, then it may be worth organising a team meal to encourage team bonding, put faces to names and make your freelancers feel part of the team.
Send them a present
While your staff might get a bonus, free drinks at the Christmas party, or some other perk, your freelancers may not get so much as a Christmas card – so if they can’t join in with the rest of the office, why not send them a present.
This could be as simple as a gift voucher, a bit extra on their next invoice or even something that takes a bit more thought, like a personally picked out present – either way, it’ll mean a lot to them and make them feel the valued member of the team they are.
Do you do anything to give your freelancers that festive feeling? Let us know…
