In the New Year you might notice your employees are somewhat lacking in enthusiasm and productivity. This is not an unusual phenomenon and is known as the January Blues. With depleted bank balances, weeks to go before pay day, weight gain after the excesses of Christmas and a feeling of not much to look forward to, staff can feel a slump during this winter month. No need to worry though, here’s how you can create a more positive atmosphere and bump up those productivity levels again:
Address Overspending Worries
January is often a stressful time for many people as they dread the arrival of their latest credit card bill. Thankfully, there are lots of ways you can ease that burden for your staff by sharing information about access of advisory services, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau. Perhaps invite a speaker and run a workshop on how to improve organising your finances. You don’t need to single anyone out but offer the advice to all. Just this acknowledgement that many people are in the same boat can help ease people’s worries.
Help Improve Employee Wellbeing
There is usually a big surge in January for healthy living and getting fit. Capitalise on this trend by encouraging staff to move more. Give them reasons to regularly get up from their desks, encourage them to partake in exercise and this will improve their mood and sense of well-being. Perhaps it’s a chance to organise a group challenge, such as dry January or a lunchtime walking club.
Investing in keeping the workplace a hygienic, clean and attractive place to be will also help to improve mood, productivity and health. For Gloucester Office Cleaning, Find out more here.
Something to Look Forward To
With a little advanced planning, you can turn January into a month of fun activities to keep your staff from getting the blues. There are many reasons to feel gloomy in cold, dark January, so organise some events like bowling, charity fun days, a bake sale or anything that might motivate staff and give them something to plan and look forward to. It’s also the ideal opportunity to thank your employees for all their hard work.
Social Conscious
If you have a corporate social responsibility programme, great. If not, why not consider organising one. Most employers are hot on social responsibility these days and want their employees to get involved too. Get them fired up about an issue, encourage them to volunteer, organise fundraising events and generally get everyone involved.
Remind Staff How Great You Are
Most recruitment experts agree that the cost of hiring new staff is greater than retaining the ones you already have. Therefore, January is the perfect time to remind staff what a wonderful place they work in. January can often be a time people think about change, so if you want to keep your staff, now might be a good time for feedback surveys, promotions, launching employee schemes and any other plans to help retention.
.png){kind=link}
