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Once the celebrations of the holiday season are over, it can be easy to fall into a slump upon your return to work. The merrymaking is over, and the cold, gloomy feel of winter sets in — not the best recipe for a motivated staff. And while the winter blues can hit anyone — even leaders — getting their teams reenergized and ready to tackle the year ahead is essential for leaders looking to hit their business goals and encourage a happy, healthy culture.
However, boosting employee morale is about more than just throwing pizza parties. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, taking the following eight steps can ensure you not only help employees find their motivation in the short term but also help cultivate positivity and an overall better work environment that will last throughout the year.
Plan a Goal-Setting Session
A goal-setting session helps realign their focus toward what needs to be achieved in the short and long term. It also reengages them with their roles and the company’s objectives. – Ali Aksu, Untold
Ensure Employees Know How Their Work Helps the Company
Clearly communicate how each team member’s daily efforts directly contribute to the collective success of the company. Leaders can instill a sense of purpose and engagement by ensuring that employees understand the meaningful impact of their work, making them more likely to stay motivated and maintain a positive outlook. This, in turn, helps the organization thrive beyond the holiday season. – Calvin Rasode, Brains Bioceutical Corp
Provide Downtime for Reflection
Provide your employees some downtime at the beginning of the year to reflect on their progress and strategize for the year ahead. Though we encourage our employees to take time off around the holidays, our office is open on New Year’s Day — specifically to provide time for the team to think deeply about their work and what they want to focus on in the year ahead. – Evan Nison, NisonCo
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Give Employees an Incentive to Look Forward To
Give your employees something to look forward to right away, and create incentives to establish a culture of success. Also, your employees should hopefully already feel a sense of excitement and newness when coming back to work for the new year! If you have to overthink how to get your employees excited for a new year of work and challenges, then that in itself could be an issue. – Nathan Green, New Level Radio
Unite Your Team Around Intentions and Meaningful Themes
Replace traditional goal-setting with intentions that foster continuous growth and inspire motivation. Instead of rigid targets, intentions align with our evolving values and aspirations. Additionally, introduce monthly themes like “Joyful January” or “Fearless February” to unite your team, creating a positive and engaging work environment. – Shirin Etessam, OML
Initiate Open Communication
One crucial step to help your team rediscover motivation and cultivate positivity post-holidays is to initiate open communication. Leaders should create a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts for the new year. Hosting one-on-one discussions allows leaders to check in on team members, acknowledging the potential challenges of returning to work after the holidays. – Todd Boren, Alpen Group
Offer a Clear Sense of Direction and Purpose
One step leaders can take to help employees is to encourage goal-setting and provide a clear sense of purpose. When you align individual and team objectives with a shared vision, employees can feel a renewed sense of direction and motivation, helping them transition back to work with enthusiasm and focus. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
Implement Regular Experiences and Events
Introduce weekly or monthly experiences to build additional company culture. As the world gets crazier and technologies develop exponentially, we need resilience and positivity more than ever. Invite a breathwork coach to do remote group sessions or even install a cold plunge and host daily challenges. Ideally, these activities create more community and improve mental health in the process. – Lyle Maxson, GeniusX
