10 Tips to Motivate Your Employees After the Holidays

As employees return after a holiday break, it can be difficult to get back into the swing of things. That said, HR has the potential to help employees feel confident, comfortable, and rejuvenated as they manage this shift. Read on for 10 different ways HR can make a big impact on productivity and employee satisfaction as team members return to work.

1. Create Opportunities for Discussion

As employees return from the holidays, they are often refreshed and rejuvenated. With this break from the daily routine, however, comes a need to transition back once it is over. One way to ease this transition is to offer an opportunity for employees to engage with one another. This is an opportunity for employees to discuss their break as well as what new goals they may have put in place as they return. 

This can often be the case as employees return for the new year. What new resolutions are in store for each employee? How did they enjoy their break? This is a great opportunity to increase employee motivation as they make that transition back to their work routines. 

2. Communicate Effectively
As employees spend time recuperating during the holiday season, it is likely that upon returning to work, they find themselves overwhelmed by an overflowing inbox. It is stressful even to consider rummaging through each and every email, and amidst this chaos, information is bound to be lost or misplaced. 

As HR teams prepare for the post-holiday return, they will need to put extra energy into effectively communicating to their employees. Rather than 10 emails, consider consolidating all information into one or two priority emails for employees to save and maintain easily.

Consider all other methods of communication as well. Utilize the most effective means available. This may include posting on a team or company page rather than sending individual emails to each employee. 

3. Re-evaluate Goals
As you return to work and evaluate your own professional goals, spend time encouraging and motivating your employees to focus on their own professional goals as well. 

Many employees feel overwhelmed upon returning to work and the big picture goals can feel lost in all of the noise. Offer clarity and encouragement regarding any goals for the coming months or quarters. Help to reestablish these goals in the minds of your employees. 

Utilizing an HRIS is an excellent way for your team members to record personal and professional goals for the coming months or even years.  

4. Allow For Breaks with Healthy Socialization
It can be easy for employees to fall into procrastination as they return from a holiday break. They are catching up on all that has happened while they were away. From conversations with fellow employees to catching up on all things social media, it can be difficult to stay on track with all the distractions. 

One great way to counter this is by leaning into it. This may seem counter-intuitive, but offering employees those few extra chances for downtime can provide a productive break that allows them the time for healthy socialization. 

Continued encouragement toward taking breaks can lessen the strains of procrastination and provide employees with the necessary outlet to engage in needed socialization. This, in turn, may allow for greater productivity. 

5. Seek Out Employee Educational Interests
Offer your employees a myriad of opportunities to improve professionally and personally. Seek feedback from your team members on what they wish to accomplish this quarter and allocate resources toward helping them to achieve their goals. 

Continuing education is a huge part of organizational success, and when an employee is excited about said education, the programs are that much more effective. Showcase your commitment to their professional endeavors by providing them with invaluable educational opportunities. Here at BerniePortal, we have excellent educational opportunities for our team members, including BernieU courses, the HR Party of One podcast, and even an opportunity to subscribe to our blog.

6. Encourage Greater Organization
With overflowing inboxes, a large list of to-dos, and a fully fleshed-out list of goals and projects set out before them, it is no wonder that employees feel overwhelmed when returning from a holiday break. One way to increase productivity and positivity is by helping your employees to remain organized. This eliminates a number of stressors and allows for employees to quickly find what they need, and stay on top of projects. 

Another great way to increase organization is by encouraging employees to personalize their space. According to psychological science, employees who personalize their workspace are better able to maintain a clear sense of control over their space and dispel negative feelings and thoughts. 

7. Promote Healthy Habits
Treat your mind with care by treating your body with care. If an athlete pushes their body to the limit each and every day in order to become the very best, then we as professionals need to push our minds to the limit each and every day to become our very best. And In order to do this, we need to treat our bodies with care. 

Consider posting an infographic on your company page, or an email with a series of points to consider on how the health of our bodies affects the health of our minds. 

The food we eat is directly linked to the function of our brains. For instance, just a 1% decrease in hydration can lead to a nearly 12% reduction in productivity. In order to stay hydrated employees need to take regular water breaks or keep a bottle of water handy throughout the day. By doing this alone, we are increasing our productivity. Encourage your employees to engage in these healthy habits daily to maintain maximum efficiency. 

8. Maintain a Positive Atmosphere
The power of positivity is much stronger than one might think. Positive thinking contributes to better problem-solving skills, more creative ideas, and stronger critical thinking skills. 

Employers who are positive and maintain a good attitude attract more people. They draw in other people to their desires and their cause, simply because their attitude reflects onto others. They become a person that others want to be around. This is a crucial quality for leadership and employees alike. 

Overall a more positive atmosphere leads to greater employee satisfaction, and in turn, retention. Consider holding training sessions for leaders within your organization to promote the idea of good attitudes and positive thinking. 

One key way of creating a more positive atmosphere is by adding a wellness program should you not already have one in place. Wellness programs are designed to encourage physical and mental wellbeing to employees. It can include online fitness classes, resources for healthy recipes, step count challenges, and even hydration challenges. 

9. Publicize Mental & Emotional Support Resources
Employees should have access to resources that can help them avoid feeling demotivated and mentally drained. Work with your leadership team to find ways to provide resources for employees who may be struggling with emotional or mental stress. 

Many employees may be dealing with medical issues involving mental health. Be sure that your organization is sensitive to this, and that the anonymity of employees who seek out this support is maintained. 

Providing employees with, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), is a great way to showcase your dedication to assisting employees who might be dealing with mental and emotional struggles. EAPs offer employees the help they need almost immediately. It can put them in touch with counselors, for example, and allow them a chance to get the help they need. 

10. Establish Teamwork Opportunities to Further Employee Engagement
Create opportunities for employees to work together to complete projects. Engaging with other employees creates more opportunities and oftentimes results in more creative solutions by taking advantage of multiple sets of skills.  As employees return to work, they may feel stuck or struggle to get going. Working in a team with other individuals can help to jump-start their mental energy and push them to be more productive. It also presents employees with an opportunity to engage socially while working, allowing for a reduction in overall stress.