“With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

But what if it isn’t? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 64 percent of those living with a form of mental illness report their conditions worsen around the holidays. In addition, some people experience seasonal affective disorder, a clinical depression that appears in late fall and can continue until spring with shorter days, less sunlight and colder weather.

Mental illnesses and depression during the holidays can be attributed to a variety causes:

Unhappy childhood memories.

Stressful familial relationships or situations.

Disappointment over what’s perceived as a lack of progress.

Lowered immune defenses related to colder temperatures, eating less nutritious foods and sleeping less.

Financial stress brought on by high inflation, increased demands on resources and expectations for gifts.

One of the most important things for employers to recognize is the increased financial stress employees face. There are ways, though, for employees to alleviate stress:

Make sure everyone on the “nice” list deserves to be there. Do they all need an expensive gift? Many people enjoy a heartfelt gift instead of a gift they squirrel away or re-gift.

Set realistic limits and don’t apologize. Write down a dollar limit for each person, stick to those limits and track how much you actually spend.

Buy in bulk when possible. A case of wine or elegant candles are great ideas.

Be honest with friends and family about scaling back. Ask about a gift exchange instead of buying gifts for everyone. They’ll probably thank you for the suggestion.

What about the obligations associated with family and friends? Some people have perfected their abilities to make others feel guilty. But don’t feel you must meet all family or friend obligations. Don’t do something because it’s considered a tradition, especially if it makes you unhappy. Perhaps it’s someone else’s turn to host the family gathering.

Experiencing the opposite is just as stressful, especially if family and friends live far away. In this case, establish new traditions — such as volunteering, especially if you feel lonely.

Helping employees navigate the holidays offers some tangible benefits in the workplace.

According to the results of one survey, 42 percent of employees reported trouble sleeping and feeling less interested in socializing. Think about how that affects their moods and engagement. Fully 33 percent of employees reported consuming more alcohol or using other substances more than usual to cope with stress.

Supporting employees reflects a commitment to them. Consider these suggestions this holiday season and see if it makes a difference:

Find reasons to check in with your employees on a regular basis and simply ask “Are you OK?” The best way to help employees is to encourage dialogue. Whether they engage or not, they know someone cares.

Ask what kind of support would be helpful to employees and remind them your door remains open if they’d like to talk. Schedule some onsite time with your employee assistance program partners for easy access.

Don’t forget remote workers. Set up some virtual holiday gatherings — ugly sweater and trivia contests or sharing favorite recipes.

Remember your employees are more apt to be distracted during the holidays.  Discuss expectations about workloads and clarify any modified work hours and norms more often without a punitive tone.

Each employee is as unique as a snowflake. They face different situations with different levels of emotional intelligence. Remain sensitive to the fact some employees may carry on as usual during the holidays even as others struggle. Respect the confidentiality of all.

We might not be able to make it the most wonderful time of the year. But if we all come together this holiday season, we might make things more merry and bright.

Kelly Murphy works as a senior human resource business partner at Lighthouse HR Support in Grand Junction. Karen Zimmerman works as an HR supervisor and consultant at the firm. Lighthouse HR Support offers a range of human resource management services to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, call 243-7789 or log on to www.lighthousehrs.net.