So there it was….. Merry Christmas! The festivities are now over and it’s back to reality and back to work. For many the harsh reality of the early morning alarm call and the return to working life isn’t so appealing and the dreaded January blues begin to creep in. It can be a difficult time for businesses to motivate a workforce recovering from the excess of Christmas but January doesn’t have to be so grim.
Here we share our top tips for banishing the January blues from your office.
Set Goals
New Year is a time for fresh starts – a time to reflect on the year gone by and set new goals for the year ahead. It’s important to get your team back into the swing of working life as quickly as possible so that your business can continue to flourish. Decide what you want your business to achieve in the coming year and share this with your team. Indeed you could even invite them to participate in the planning process. Make sure that each employee is aware of how they can contribute and what is expected of them. Set deadlines and review dates so that you can track progress and amend the plan as necessary. Having something to work towards will really help motivate your workforce.
Give your team the tools they need to succeed
In order to achieve your business goals you must ensure that individually your team have the right tools for the job. Make sure they have the correct equipment and address any training or internal support requirements early on so as to keep up momentum and prevent your employees getting frustrated and downhearted.
Re-energise your employees
Negative energy in the workplace has the potential to fester and affect staff performance and morale. You and your managers set the standards and therefore staff will copy whatever behaviour you exhibit. Your employees may still be suffering from the after effects of the festive period but your team leaders and managers can quickly turn those frowns upside down by promoting positive attitudes and teamwork. Perhaps you can offer an incentive linked to the company goals to motivate your team i.e. a team meal or drinks, team building experience etc.
Low cost motivational tools
Employee rewards don’t have to cost your business a fortune. There are many low cost ways in which employers can help their staff to stay motivated and feel appreciated. Simple things like verbally expressing thanks for a job well done or making them a cup of tea when they are busy will earn you valuable brownie points. Supporting personal goals or resolutions such as providing an office fruit bowl for those that are eating healthy or the occasional opportunity to have a longer lunch or leave early for exercise can also be useful motivational tools.
Most HR consultants will tell you that the cost of hiring new staff is far more than the cost of retaining your current employees and therefore a show of appreciation large or small will give your staff the boost they need to feel appreciated and energised and help your business reach new heights.
The Backhouse Solicitors Team
Tel: 01245 893400
Email: info@backhouse-solicitors.co.uk
Web: www.backhouse-solicitors.co.uk
