• Home
  • Blog
    • Business Partner Magazine Archive
  • Free Contests and Giveaways
  • Resources
  • About Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Website Use
  • Contacts

Business Partner Magazine

Tips and advice for entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs

  • Business Success
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Employees
  • Technology
  • Start-up
  • Productivity
  • Communication

How to Avoid the January Blues in Your Workplace

January 11, 2018 by Guest Post

Click here to get this post in PDF

Too long to read? Enter your email to download this post as a PDF. We will also send you our best business tips every 2 weeks in our newsletter. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Enter your NameEnter your Email Address

Stack of documents at workplace and male employee on backgroundAccording to recent reports by Instant Offices, it’s the cold, dark, and dreary winter months, particularly January, that tend to be the least productive period for employees. Here are some tips on how to boost employee motivation and productivity during the seasonal dip in team morale.

Research shows that January can be a difficult month for employees returning to work, with the excessive spending and overindulgence of the holidays coupled with the general dreariness of the season to blame for the ‘January blues.’  Recovering from the excess of the party season can raise one’s tension, stress levels, and blood pressure.

According to a survey by Glassdoor, January also happens to be the month employees are most likely to think about changing jobs, with almost 18% citing this as being the most popular month to make a move.

What’s more, Britain has been suffering from low productivity since the financial crisis of 2008, leaving a productivity gap of 16% against the other six members of the G7, which includes Italy, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United States. According to the ONS, the output of British employees per hour worked lags well behind the US, Germany, and France, and while all members of the G7 have seen a drop in productivity since the financial slump, the impact has been greatest in the UK.

This long-term trend, combined with the January blues, spells double trouble for employers who expect to see the best results from their business.

A Case of the January Blues

The biggest challenge for business owners is how to motivate teams during a potentially difficult period. The general malaise associated with returning to work after the holidays can be attributed to numerous factors and varies between companies and teams.

Reasons most often cited include:

  • Career stagnation or boredom
  • Issues with management
  • Dissatisfaction with salaries or working hours
  • Heavy workload and unrealistic expectations
  • Lack of appreciation or value

Winter Blues Causes General Unhappiness

NHS estimates that one in 15 Britons experiences some sort of ‘January blues’, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) between September and April – a type of depression that is caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight during the darker winter months, although cold temperatures and weak daylight also contribute to this melancholic state.

During this time, employees can experience a feeling of general unhappiness, fatigue, anxiety, or depression as the days get shorter and colder, which can also be accompanied by increased eating, trouble sleeping, as well as feelings of confusion, forgetfulness, and lack of concentration. While this condition is quite common in the UK and countries with varying seasons, employers should not overlook it as it can have a serious effect on staff productivity, motivation, morale, and even their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

You can’t change the weather, but you can look at your office environment and make it more conducive to staff morale and productivity. Feeling too cold is one of the most-cited complaints among employees and contributes towards the seasonal productivity drops in the office.

Research suggests that keeping the office temperature at 21 degrees Celsius is ideal for optimal results. Adding additional lighting and colors can also do wonders to boost the mood of your staff while providing healthy snack alternatives to cakes and cookies at meetings and in the office can reduce the calories associated with comfort eating.

Employees are More Prone to Irritability in January

Studies show that employees can also experience higher irritability during the cold, long winter months, particularly around the time holidays end and the new year begins. Noisy eaters, colleagues talking too loudly on the phone, long and unnecessary meetings, and sniffing have all been cited as being the main triggers to irritability in the office. Distractions like these can not only cause annoyance in the office, but lowers productivity, so it is worth addressing.

Employers can suggest staff eat lunch away from their desks (set up a designated lunch area if you can) while providing free tissues in the office could help combat the annoyance of sniffing. Employers should also aim to cut down the amount of time spent in meetings while still keeping the lines of communication open.

Stress Levels Increase After Leave

Research suggests that the period after Christmas can see stress levels rise by a third, with work and relationship worries two of the main triggers. January is also a time where many people struggle with finances due to excessive holiday spending and the large gap between paydays. Stress can wreak havoc on physical wellbeing, with many people citing problems with sleep and susceptibility to illness as major problems associated with stress.

Business owners can offer support to employees if high levels of stress and tension are affecting their performance. For example, enforce mandatory lunch breaks, or if the budget allows, provide relaxing activities in the office like massages or yoga. Likewise, team building activities, bonuses, and incentives could do wonders for staff morale.

Lack of Work-Life Balance Causing Stress

Finally, studies show that shorter workdays increase productivity and result in a happier workforce… While cutting hours may not be practical or even possible for your business, employers should focus on being flexible with employee time or working location, both of which could bring some surprisingly positive results in staff productivity.

About The Author

The Instant Group is the global flexible workspace specialist. Underpinned by unrivaled expertise, Instant tailors unique solutions to help businesses of all sizes to grow, drive savings, or gain invaluable insight. Established in 1999, The Instant Group has achieved 23% compound growth over the past four years and continues to expand with private equity funding secured from MML Capital in 2012. With offices in London, Berlin, Dallas, New York, Hong Kong, and Sydney, The Instant Group employs more than 100 experts and has clients in 113 countries. For more information, visit www.theinstantgroup.com.

Filed Under: Efficiency, Employees, Productivity Tagged With: Efficiency, employees, productivity, Stress

Trackbacks

  1. Health Supplements and Staff Wellbeing - Business Partner Magazine says:
    October 24, 2019 at 8:30 am

    […] You may also like: How to Avoid the January Blues in Your Workplace […]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Disclosure

We earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.

Recent Posts

  • The AI Revolution Meets the Metaverse — Unleashing Infinite Virtual Frontiers
  • Changing Careers in Your 30s? Here’s What You Need to Know
  • A Guide to Marquee and Party Hire 
  • Crafting Success: The Art of Bid Writing Courses, the Expertise of a Professional SEO Consultant, and the Lens of Architectural Photography
  • The Trifecta of Seamless Operations: Distribution Services, Care Home Dining Chairs, and Commercial Washing Machines

Categories

Archives

Make Money Online – Free Course

  • Discover All The Shortcuts To Affiliate Marketing Success
  • Find Out How To Fill Your Site With New Leads And Customers
  • Discover How To Turn Your Passion Into Profits
  • Learn How To Write Copy That Gets Results Fast!
  • Discover How To Create Promote & Sell Your Own Products Online
  • Everything You Need To Know About Marketing Money Online
  • Strategies For Successful Web Entrepreneurs Inside
  • Discover How To Invest Smarter Grow Faster And Retire Rich
  • Email Marketing Strategies For Marketers And Entrepreneurs
  • Free training reveals how to build a successful six figure income online
  • Discover The Mindset Hacks You Need To Succeed
  • Free Marketing Memberships – Make Money Online

    Make money online free marketing memberships

    Tags

    Accounting apps bitcoin brand business skills business success Career communication cryptocurrency Customer Service Data design Digital marketing ecommerce Efficiency employees Featured Article finance finances Health and Safety infographic insurance Investing investment legal legal tips Management Marketing marketing strategy Outsourcing productivity property Real estate sales security SEO Social Media software starting a business startup Technology Trading Training website workplace

    Disclosure

    We earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.

    Digital Marketing Agency

    ReachMore Banner

    Business Partner Magazine

    Business Partner Magazine provides business tips for small business owners (SME). We are your business partner helping you on your road to business success.

    Have a look around the site to discover a wealth of business-focused content.

    Here’s to your business success!

    Copyright © 2023 - Business Partner Magazine·