As the winter months roll in, it can take a toll on our overall mood as well as productivity and motivation at work. According to ONS data, there was a 138% decrease in productivity from Q3 2023 to Q1 2024 in the UK, highlighting a drop in productivity during the winter period. Additionally, it was found that 1 in 3 workers surveyed reported that both the cold weather and illness affected their productivity at work.

Here are some tips* on how employers can help keep their employees motivated during the run-up to Christmas and into Q1.

How Employers can keep employees motivated during the Winter Months:

1. Make Yourself Available

Managing time and workload is important for all employees in an organisation, especially management. December is a busy month with organisations finishing up their work for the year, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed and overlook your duty of supporting your team. Ensure that you organise your time effectively so that you have time to check in with them. This could include regular 1-1’s, giving feedback on tasks and (if necessary) reallocating workload, which should fuel the team with drive and positivity and address any concerns before they grow.

If you divide your time effectively, that’ll have a positive knock-on effect towards your team, increasing productivity with strong, fully involved management that always makes time to check in with everyone.

2. Offer a Flexible Work Schedule

If this is appropriate, incorporate a flexible working schedule into the workplace, which enables employees to work their usual agreed hours but at a time that suits them. This can reduce stress and give employees more time for personal errands, increasing their focus and engagement during the workday.

Shai Aharony, CEO of Reboot Online says: “Not all employees thrive on a traditional 9-5 structure. Creativity is so important in our industry and allows our staff to work at times that best suit them. Whether that’s logging on at 7:30 am for the early risers, or logging on later and working until later in the day, flexible working hours give our employees the autonomy to work when they are the most productive.”

3. Flexible Work Goals

Let your team set some personal work targets for the final weeks. They’re more likely to stay motivated and productive when they feel ownership over their goals and objectives. Consider letting them pick one professional goal they’d like to complete by the end of the year (such as learning a new skill that’s different but applicable to their field) and support them in reaching it.

4. Encourage Professional Development Opportunities

Offer short, engaging workshops or online courses your team can complete in an hour or less. Whether it’s a time management technique or a new tool, providing learning opportunities with tangible benefits for the next year shows your commitment to overall team growth and keeps them productive and engaged.

5. Give the Gift of Recognition

Consider sending personal ‘shout-out’ messages, company-wide emails or newsletters that recognise individual and team achievements highlighting how their efforts contribute to the company’s success and shared goals. These can provide a quick, sincere boost to morale and motivation. Not only this, personal acknowledgement fosters a positive environment and reinforces each person’s impact on the company’s achievements.

6. Shorter, Focused Work Blocks

Encourage your team to work in short, highly focused blocks with regular breaks. Use a time-blocking method (such as the Pomodoro Technique that splits working sessions into 25-minute blocks followed by a five-minute break) for increased focus and productivity, especially as energy levels may dip during this time of year. Also, encouraging employees to get outside on lunch breaks, and stepping out into the fresh air and natural light will boost brain activity and help employees re-focus on their work tasks. Natural light not only increases productivity levels but is also good for mental health.

7. Create a ‘Done by Christmas’ Task List

Break down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks to complete them by the holidays. Visual aids, like a large, shared checklist, can help employees stay on track and give a satisfying sense of accomplishment as they check items off.

8. Festive-Themed Incentives for Achieving KPIs

For employees who hit key performance indicators (KPIs), offer festive rewards, such as bonuses. Providing incentives can help employees stay focused on their goals and feel more of a sense of achievement.

9. End-of-Year ‘Declutter Day’

Encourage everyone to declutter their workstations and digital files in preparation for the New Year. A clean workspace helps employees feel refreshed and come back to work feeling ready and motivated to hit the ground running, boosting motivation and reducing stress.

10. Streamlined Meetings

Keep meetings short and focused, especially as attention spans can wane closer to the holidays. Opt for stand-up meetings, focused agendas, and clear action points to maintain productivity without taking too much time.

*Guide provided by digital PR company