Christmas is over and everyone has been back at work for a few weeks. There is no money left in our bank accounts and we are all waiting for pay-day. The weight you lost in the run up to Christmas has piled on again. The weather is miserable and travelling to and from work in the dark just makes you want to curl up under the duvet to hibernate.
It’s now Monday 15th January (aka “Blue Monday”) so how on earth are you going to boost staff morale to help them get over this gloomy time of year?
1. Focus on employee engagement – get staff involved and ask them for their ideas to make the workplace a happier place. Communication and involvement are key to making employees feel like they are an important part of the business. If they do not understand what it is the Company is trying to achieve in the next year or they do not feel valued, why would they feel motivated or inspired to work hard and be the best they can be all year round?
2. Create social events throughout the calendar year e.g. Breakfast catch-up meetings, regular dress down days, treat your team to lunch out as a “thank you”, organise after work drinks and get togethers.
3. Create team building competitions – offer prizes not only to boost staff morale but also to increase sales and productivity levels.
4. Recognise good work – always try to make a point of praising achievements and hard work or even just say “thank you” to your team. It not only makes your staff feel valued but it can have a really positive effect on productivity levels. However, make sure you don’t just focus on the positives on “Blue Monday” – endeavour to make recognition part of the culture of your company and focus on it throughout the year.
5. Encourage a healthy lifestyle – to prevent energy levels slumping provide healthy snacks for all staff during the working day e.g. fruit, nuts, yoghurts.
6. Encourage regular exercise breaks – during the bleak, winter months driving to and from work in the dark means that employees often see very little sunlight during their working day which can be detrimental to their health and well-being. To combat this, it is important to encourage staff to take regular breaks away from their desks to socialise with colleagues and to switch off from every day stresses. They need to get outside at lunchtime for fresh air and exercise and to capitalise on the natural daylight as well as eating a healthy, nutritious lunch. This can help to stabilise serotonin and trigger endorphin, both of which are mood-boosting hormones.
After implementing all of the above suggestions, you may find one of your colleagues is still feeling low. Has their behaviour or attitude at work changed recently which is affecting their performance? Are they taking days off sick when they used to be a reliable employee? If so, have an informal chat with them first to make sure everything is ok. There could be something more serious affecting them than just the winter blues. Don’t just hope things will improve – take positive action.
Call one of our HR Specialists at Peach Law for advice or assistance with any employee issues on 0161 478 3800, or alternatively email us: hello@peachlaw.co.uk
