How to motivate your employees when they return to work

While some people actually look forward to returning to work after Christmas, many employees struggle with the post-holiday blues, say experts.

And if you’re the boss faced with a workplace of unmotivated staff who are wishing they’d never left that deckchair in Bali, what can you do to get their heads back in the game?

The good news is, lots! Here are our suggestions to shake things up and re-motivate your staff.

Feed your team

Food is a big part of the work day and as the boss, you may well wonder: are a well-fed team more productive? Many experts say yes. And in one US study, 67 percent of employees who are given access to free food and drink reportedly had greater job satisfaction.

So if you’re doing a new year overhaul of the workplace kitchen, taking steps to ensure your staff are fed and fuelled throughout the day is a great move. That might mean adding a larger selection of teas to the kitchen, or a heap of healthy snacks they can grab during busy times.

Re-fresh the communal areas

If parts of your office could be better organised, or you want to create zones for meetings or a private nook where your staff could take a call away from the hustle and bustle, do so. It’ll make your staff feel welcome and as if their needs are being taken care of.

You could also give the break area a spit and polish, adding some comfy cushions to the couch, and making it feel more inviting for your employees when they are grabbing a cuppa.

Kick off an employee recognition program

Maybe you’ve had an ad-hoc way of thanking employees in the past, but drop the ball when things get busy. It happens – but it can also mean it’s easy to overlook star employees who go above and beyond, but never get the recognition they deserve (which can lead to discontent).

Instead, start the new year as you mean to go on, with a structured employee recognition program. As part of your program, you might implement an employee of the month award, and have regular monthly employee appreciation days to keep your staff happy and motivated.

Celebrate your staff’s milestones

Be it a birthday, putting a big project to bed or a staff member who’s worked for ten years at your company – get into the habit of recognising and celebrating milestones, possibly by creating an annual calendar of ‘days’ and setting reminders in your email.

Making a big deal of welcoming new employees is part of this (after all, your first day at the company is a milestone too, right?). You might also give a speech highlighting staff promotions or specific achievements and have an afternoon tea everyone can enjoy. You’ll soon have a workforce that feels more valued and that can lead to better staff retention.

Foster a culture of learning

We know from our research that companies which prioritise professional development and upskilling have happier employees. So are you giving your staff enough chances to learn?

From the first week back after holidays, make a point of chatting with your staff about the opportunities there’ll be in the coming year for learning new skills – whether that’s via workshops, online courses, training sessions or lunch-and-learn programs. It can be a great way to incentivise your workforce to stick around, keep them happy and stave off boredom!

Tweak outdated systems, policies and procedures

So often in companies, staff are tasked with doing things the same way – when perhaps there’s a better better or more efficient solution. You’ll know your staff are frustrated by certain systems, policies or procedures – because they’ll tell you, and often suggest alternatives. And the new year is a great time to revise things that are out of date or could be done differently, instead of continually putting it into the too-hard basket.

Seeking input from your staff will also help them feel like their opinions matter and they have something to contribute to the overall running of the workplace – and it could result in a more innovative and streamlined workflow overall.

Want more tips to motivate your employees from a recruitment specialist?

We’d love to help, and we’re skilled in suggesting ways to make your workplace one that staff want to go to each day.

Sometimes, small tweaks can add up to far happier employees – and that can only have a positive knock-on effect for your business overall. We have lots of data to share on creating happier workplaces, so chat to us if you’d like to know more.