When Christmas and New Year is over, employee productivity, motivation and engagement levels can plummet.  How can employers help their workforce beat the January blues?

Ian Bird, Business Development Director at Foster Denovo and Founder of Mybenefitsatwork says, “Low bank balances, holiday weight gain, job envy, miserable weather and an empty social schedule can all be catalysts for change. People reflect on their lives and careers at this time and want to make changes. Employers need to understand people need a morale boost, fresh challenges and a bit of extra support at this time of year. Putting in a place a few simple initiatives for staff can keep people happy, motivated and also loyal.” Mybenefitsatwork has launched a new e-book for employers entitled, ‘Practical tips to help staff beat the New Year blues’ – full of advice for employers on how to better support their workforce as they head into the New Year.

1: Don’t let Christmas overspending get your staff down
When the dreaded credit card bill arrives in January people can become troubled and stressed. Employers can play an important role in helping staff manage their money better – from providing information and access to support services like Citizens Advice who can advise on managing debt relief to running financial education and planning programmes to help people plan for their short and long term future – such initiatives can help alleviate people’s financial worries.

2: Help employees feel good
We all want to feel healthier in January so it is the ideal time to start fitness initiatives like lunchtime walking groups or a group challenge to raise money for charity like ‘Dry January’. Encouraging people to leave their desks at lunchtime to exercise will not only leave them more feeling energised and positive, it also encourages team building. Introducing fruit in meetings and in the office rather than biscuits will also send a message that you care about your employees’ health and well-being.

3: Plan something for employees to look forward to
January is a stressful time, so why not arrange some fun social events like bowling? People can let their hair down a bit, get to know each other better and it’s a good way to say thank you to your staff, which also generates loyalty.

4. Think about others and give something back
A report entitled, ‘More to Give: London Millennials Working Towards a Better World’ [i] from City Philanthropy and Cass Business School, published in July highlighted that 53 percent of under-35s working full time in London want to volunteer more than they do, and this figure rose to 60 percent amongst 18-24 year olds. These days, many employees expect their employer to run a corporate social responsibility programme – this can be anything from recycling, to volunteering days, supporting fundraising activities or encouraging people to become trustees.

5. Remind them of how good a company is to work for
The costs for hiring new staff greatly outweigh those of keeping a current talent. Communicate to people what a good employer you are, but also seek feedback to gauge how people really feel. Survey people on what improvements could be made to their working environment. Make sure you listen to the ideas and act on the suggestions! Review people’s career growth development programmes and work with your employees to see where they fit in and how you can help them grow and develop in 2016.